O(b0  o 


THE 


CLIMATE, 


ases, 


OF 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS. 


nv 


LUTHER  H.  GULICK.  M.  D. 


( Prom  the  New  York  Journal  of  Medicine  for  March,  1855.  ] 


NEW  YORK : 

HOLM.^N  A GRAY.  PRINTERS.  CORNER  CENTRE  AND  MTIITE  STREET.S, 

1855. 


THE 


CLIMATE, 


iiiii)  Sliitnia 


TIIF,  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS. 


BY 

LUTHER  H.  GULICK,  M.  H. 


[From  tho  Now  York  Journal  of  Medicine  for  March,  1855. 1 


NEW'  YORK: 

nOLMAN  & GRAY.  l^RINTERS,  CORNER  CENTRE  AND  WHITE  STREETS. 

1855. 


{ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/climatediseasesmOOguli 


rnTRODUCTION. 


The  following  Thesis,  dedicated  to  Kajiehameiia  III.,  King  of 
the  Hawaiian  Islands,  was  eomposed  in  the  winter  of  1 849-50  for  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  of  the  University  of  New  York. 

My  labors  upon  it  since  that  date  have  consisted  in  condensation, 
in  a careful  recomposition  of  the  article  on  the  venereal  disease,  and  in 
several  additions  to  the  department  of  Materia  Medica. 

I have  not  attempted  to  post  up  the  Medical  History  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  to  a date  any  later  than  to  the  period  of  the  first  com- 
position of  the  essay,  though  fully  aware  of  the  topics  of  interest  whieh 
have  since  arisen. 

The  auspicious  establishment  of  steam  communication  between  the 
various  Islands  of  the  group  on  the  16th  of  November,  1853,  will 
rapidly  hasten,  if  it  has  not  already  ushered  in,  the  anticipated  period 
when  those  Islands  arc  to  become  a favorite  resort  for  pleasure  and 
health. 

I leave  my  original  remark  unchanged  regarding  the  protection 
afforded  the  Hawaiians  by  vaccination,  for  nothing  I have  yet  learned 
concerning  the  results  of  the  recent  introduction  of  the  disease  dis- 
proves the  supposition;  though,  doubtless,  the  preparation  might  have 
been  better,  could  the  people  at  an  earlier  day  have  been  stimulated  to 
greater  anxiety  on  the  subject. 

I take  pleasure  in  acknowledging  my  authorities  : — Journal  of 
Tvermax  ajir/ Eenxet  ; Polynesian  Researches,  \>y  Jarvis’ 

History  of  the  Sandwich  Islands;  Narrative  of  the  United  States' 
Exploring  Expedition ; Repo?'t  of  the  Physicians  of  the  Sandicich 
Islands  Mission,  m June,  1839;  Meteorological  Ohservatio7is,\iy  1. 
C.  E.  Eooke,  Es(p,  in  Hawaiian  Spectator,  Vols.  I.  and  II. ; Meteor- 
ological Observations,  by  Eev.  E.  Johnson,  from  The  American 


IV 


INTRODUCTION. 


Journal  of  SrAcnces  and  Arts,  and  found  in  Bingham’s  Sandwich 
Islands;  Rev.  A.  Bishop,  on  The.  Decrease  of  the  Popidationof  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  Ilaicaiian  Spectator,  \o\.  1., 52-,  Climate  of 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  bj  G.  P.  Judd,  M.  D.,  Hawaiian  Spectator, 
Vol.  I.,  No.  2;  Decrease  of  Dopidation  on  the  Ilatcaiian  Islands,  bj' 
David  Malo,  Hawaiian  Spectator,  Vol.  IT.,  p.  121;  Rev.  Henry  T. 
Cheever’s  Sandwich  Islands;  Hon.  R.  C.  Wyllie’s  Notes'"  on  the 
Hawaiian  Isla7ids  ; Transactions  of  the  Royal  Hawaiian  Agricul- 
tural Society,  Vol.  I.,  Nos.  1 and  2. 

In  addition  to  the  above  works  and  essays,  wliicb  have  been  directly 
quoted,  the  following  may  also  be  named  as  having  lent  more  fullness 
and  accuracy  to  my  statements  regarding  the  climate  and  causes  of 
depopulation  : — Dibele's  History  of  the  Sandwidb  Islands ; Bing- 
ham’s Satidivich  Islands ; Simpson’s  Nfliir/wfc/i  Isla^ids  ; and  Chee- 
ver’s Island  World. 

The  following  acknowledgments,  which  I am  happy  to  make,  exhibit 
my  especial  indebtedness  to  Dr.  Chapin’s  publications  and  to  his 
personal  kindness,  in  furnishing  me  facts  not  otherwise  accessible  : — 
No.  39  of  The  American  Jourjial  of  the  Medical  Scic7iccs,  republished 
in  The  Ilaicaiia7i  Spectator,  Vol.  L,  p.  243;  Bosto7i  Medical  and 
Surgical  Joiamal,  Vol.  XLII.,  Nos.  3 and  5 ; Letters  to  the  Writer, 
of  Ja7iuary  and  February,  1850. 

These  form  an  array  of  names  one  may  be  proud  to  mention.  They 
certainly  demonstrate  that  my  native  Islands  are  as  favorable  for  the 
development  of  mental  as  of  physical  health  and  vigor.  Nor  is  there 
any  rashness  in  affirming,  that  the  “ literary  capabilities  ” of  the 
Hawaiian  Islands  have  not  yet  been  fully  developed — a fact  most 
gratifying  to  every  Hawaiian. 

Regarding  this  essay,  it  is  most  palpable  that  its  only  merits  can  be 
those  of  selection  and  inference.  The  author  will  be  most  happy  if 
this  mere  outline  sketch  shall  be  but  the  precursor  of  extended  original 
researches  and  publication  by  others,  on  each  of  these  fruitful  and 
interesting  themes. 

Ascension  Isiand,  Micronesia,  March  1st,  1854. 


THE 


Climate,  Jliseases,  unir  ^Valeria  '^Icliira 


OF 


tup:  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS. 


This  first  attempt  to  collect  and  arrange  systematically  all 
the  facts  of  medical  interest  connected  with  the  Hawaiian 
or  Sandwich  Islands,  is  necessarily  imperfect,  but  will,  it  is 
hoped,  be  not  an  unworthy  contribution  to  the  department 
of  Medical  Topography. 

We  will  first  notice  the  important  elements  of  that  which. 
Dr.  T.  C.  B.  Rooke  remarks,  “yet  remains  a parodox,”  viz. : 

THE  CLIMATE  OF  THE  UAWAIIAN  ISLANDS. 

Before  studying  diseases  themselves,  we  investigate  their 
causes,  and  it  is  self-evident  that  a thorough  apprehension  of 
the  producing  and  modifying  agents  of  disease  in  any  locality 
cannot  be  fully  attained  prior  to  a familiar  acquaintance 
with  the  climate,  for  under  this  term  are  included  several 
most  potent  predisposing  and  exciting  causes. 

The  Locality  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  geographically  ex- 
pressed, is  from  18°  50'  to  22°  20'  nox’th  latitude,  and  from 


6 


154°  53'  to  160^  15'  west  longitude.  Situated  so  far  both 
from  the  eastern  and  western  continents,  the  group  is  most 
effectually  removed  from  their  immediate  controlling  influ- 
ences so  far  as  climate  is  concerned.  The  group  lays  on  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  torrid  zone — once  each  year  the 
sun  arrives  at  the  zenith  of  its  meridian.  Its  climate,  so  far 
as  affected  by  relative  position,  ought,  therefore,  to  be  mild, 
equable,  and  salubrious — and  such  it  may  unhesitatingly  be 
pronounced. 

The  Geological  character  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands  is  strictly 
volcanic,  the  coraline  element  being  very  insignificant.  Each 
island  is  emphatically  rugged  and  mountainous.  On  Kauai, 
Maui,  Oahu,  and  Hawaii,  many  of  the  elevations  are  of  con- 
siderable altitude.  On  Maui,  Manna  Haleakela  is  over  10,000 
feet  high,  and  on  Hawaii,  Manna  Loa  is  13,760  feet,  and 
Mauna  Kea  13,950  feet  in  height.  The  arable  and  habitable 
parts  of  the  land  are  in  detached  portions,  thrown  in  among 
the  hills  or  on  their  seaward  sloj)es.  The  great  body  of  the 
population  occupy  positions  near  the  sea,  which  have  an 
elevation  above  its  level  varying  from  ten  to  perhaps  an 
hundred  feet.  In  the  central  portions  of  East  Maui  and  of 
Hawaii  much  higher  localities  are  inhabited.  Waimea  on 
Hawaii,  the  highest  village  of  the  group,  is  about  4,000  feet 
above  the  ocean’s  level.  The  southern  slopes  of  the  islands 
are  exposed  to  solar  influences  under  much  more  favorable 
conditions  for  warmth  than  the  northern,  the  rays  of  light 
and  heat  during  most  of  the  year  striking  them  in  lines 
nearer  vertical,  and  therefore  more  favorable  for  absorption, 
which,  combined  with  the  fact  that  the  most  important  winds 
are  from  the  northeast,  from  which  the  southern  aspects  are 
sheltered  by  the  central  mountain  heights,  conspires  to 
render  the  southern  or  leeward  aspects  of  islands  generally 
the  warmer  and  dryer,  and  the  northern  aspects  the  cooler 
and  more  humid. 

The  Soil  is  peculiarly  volcanic,  consisting  of  the  debris  of 
the  primitive  rock,  light  and  porous,  hence  readily  parched 
and  apt  to  take  on  the  form  of  dust,  yet  incapable  of  long 


7 


retaining  acquired  heat.  The  climate  is  therefore  readily 
affected,  so  far  as  it  is  influenced  by  the  calorific  capacities  of 
the  soil. 

The  Streams  and  so-called  rivers,  though  redolent  of 
poetry,  are  such  insignificant  bodies  of  water  as  to  here 
deserve  scarce  a passing  notice — from  the  necessities  of  the 
case,  they  are  short  and  small.  From  what  has  been  said, 
lakes  would  not  be  expected. 

' The  Winds  of  the  islands  are  important  in  their  relations 
to  the  climate,  and  may,  perhaps,  be  referred  to  four  classes  : 
1.  The  Trade  Winds.  2.  The  Land  and  Sea  Breezes.  3.  The 
Southwest  Winds  or  Gales.  4.  The  Variable  Winds. 

The  Trade  Winds  are  most  efficient  agents  for  good  in  the 
climate  of  these  islands.  Situated  as  the  group  is,  near  the 
northern  limits  of  the  trade  wind  zone,  when  the  trades,  with 
the  sun,  have  made  their  farthest  advances  northward,  it  is 
brought  under  their  full  action ; but  when  the  sun  is  in 
southern  declension,  and  when  the  trades,  following  it,  have 
made  their  farthest  oscillation  southward,  the  group  is  beyond 
their  limits  and  under  the  action  of  that  cloud-zone,  under 
which  there  is  a constant  precipitation  of  moisture,  and 
which  ever  hangs  over  that  oscillating  line  just  north  of  the 
trade  wind  zone,  where,  as  by  Lieut.  l\raury,  we  arc  taught 
tliat  the  northeast  and  southwest  currents  of  the  upper  air 
meet.  The  trade  winds  blow  steadily  from  the  northeast 
about  six  months.  Tliey  give  way  during  the  months  of 
November,  December,  and  January.  October,  February, 
and  March,  are  debated  months,  during  which,  however,  the 
trades  generally  predominate.  Having  fairly  secured  their 
ascendancy  in  the  spring,  they  blow  with  remarkable  uni- 
formity, and  often  with  “ considerable  violence,  almost 
amounting  to  a gale.”  These  breezes,  pure  and  cool,  arrive 
from  their  ocean  voyage  with  much  of  humidity  adhering  to 
their  unseen  wings,  from  whence  it  is  j:)recipitated  in  frequent 
showers  that  fertilize  the  whole  windward  coast.  They  are 
the  equalizers  of  torrid  heat,  and  the  coiTcctives  of  all  mias- 
matic exhalations.  Their  influence  is  felt  on  all  parts  ; but 


8 


from  what  has  been  remarked  of  the  high  midland  eleva- 
tions, it  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  southern  and  south- 
western aspects  are,  in  greater  or  less  degree,  protected  from 
their  direct  effects.  We  therefore  find  two  varieties  of  cli- 
mate during  the  season  of  their  prevalence.  The  one,  on  the 
northern  and  northeastern  shores,  cooler  and  more  humid, 
for  here  the  trades  first  kiss  the  green-clad  isle,  and  drop 
their  dewy  tears  of  joy ; the  other,  on  the  southern  and 
southwestern  coasts,  dryer  and  hotter.  The  whole  is  ex- 
pressed by  the  terms  “windward”  and  “leeward.” 

These  notices  of  the  trade  winds  must  be  somewhat  modi- 
fied in  reference  to  Hawaii,  the  largest  and  most  southern  of 
the  group,  which  is  so  large  (being  88  miles  long  and  68 
wide,  having  an  area  of  about  4,000  square  miles)  that  it 
interferes  with  the  force  of  the  trades,  and  writh  their  regu- 
larity, and  allows  the  Land  and  Sea  Breezes,  in  obedience  to 
their  own  laws,  on  all  its  leeward  border,  and  “ in  some  de- 
gree even  on  its  northeast  coast,  where  the  trades  are  usually 
freshest.”  The  trades,  in  their  passages  over  the  compara- 
tively small  areas  of  the  northern  individuals  of  the  group, 
are  perfectly  competent  to  effecting  an  equilibrium  between 
it  and  the  surrounding  seas,  and  so,  in  the  main,  prevent  the 
series  of  actions  and  reactions  productive  of  the  diurnal  cur- 
rents. But  on  Hawaii,  the  area  being  much  greater,  an 
equilibrium  of  temperature  is  not  effected  by  the  trades, 
especially  on  the  southern  coast,  and  immediately  the  land 
and  sea  breezes  arise. 

Of  the  Southwest  Winds,  which  are  the  rainy  winds,  and 
which,  being  coincident  in  time  with  the  superposition  of 
the  cloud-zone,  produce  the  rainy  season,  it  must  be  re- 
marked that  they  are  intermittent,  blowing  continuously  for 
several  days  and  weeks,  and  then  giving  place  to  the  finest 
of  inter-tropic  weather,  again  to  return.  I quote  from  Mr. 
Jarvis’  History  of  the  Sandwich  Islands: — “The  southwest 
wind  brings  heavy  rain,  and  is  usually  loaded  with  a bidny 
vapor,  which  is  deposited  upon  vegetation  and  causes  it  to 
wither  as  if  touched  with  frost.  Its  effects  are  equally 


9 


disagreeable  to  the  human  system.  Headaches,  catarrhs, 
rheumatisms,  and  kindred  diseases  prevail  during  their  con- 
tinuance. Upon  foreigners  its  influence  is  very  obvious,  caus- 
ing a compression  about  the  head,  and  an  enervation  which 
greatly  incapacitates  the  body  for  all  active  business ; the 
atmosphere  is  thick,  raw,  and  at  times  feels  like  the  heated 
air  of  a furnace.  The  miasms,  arising  from  the  lagoons, 
which  exist  to  some  extent  near  Honolulu  on  the  sea  side, 
are  blown  back  upon  the  land.  By  the  natives  it  is  known 
as  ‘ the  sick  wind,’  and  with  great  propriety.” 

The  Variable  Winds  occur  during  the  same  part  of  the 
year  with  the  southwestern,  viz. : during  the  winter.  The 
following  table  exhibits  the  number  of  days  of  the  prevalence 
of  each  wind. 


Trade  Winds. 

Southerly  Winds. 

Variable  W’inds. 

At  Honolulu 

1S37 

295 

44 

26 

“ - 

U3S 

258 

71 

36 

.Vt  Wjiioli 

1845  (i 

220 

14G 

Hurricanes  and  tornadoes,  by  virtue,  perhaps,  of  the  group’s 
remote  position  from  neighboring  lands,  are  unknown,  and 
thunder-storms  are  rare  and  mild,  which  indicates  that  the 
electric  conditions  are  subject  to  no  great  or  sudden  alterna- 
tions— a circumstance  favorable  to  health. 

Such  Udomctric,  Barometric.,  and  Therinomctric  facts  as  I 
have  been  able  to  collect,  shall  be  presented,  together  with 
a few  additional  details  regarding  the  winds.  I very  much 
regret  ray  inability  to  secure  all  such  tables  which  I know 
to  be  published. 

Com.  Wilkes,  in  speaking  of  the  same  place,  remarks: — 
“ It  rains  nearly  nine  months  in  the  year,  and,  from  the  rain- 
bows formed  by  these  passing  showers,  it  has  obtained  its 
name,  which  signifies  the  land  or  place  of  rainbow’s — ‘Hale- 
lea.’  A few  days  of  dry  weather  are  quite  unusual.  Dur- 
ing three  months,  included  in  the  above  nine,  rain  fell  on 
fifty-two  days ; fourteen  were  cloudy.  During  the  remain- 
ing twenty-four  the  weather  was  clear,  but  it  rained  occa- 
sionally at  night.” 


10 


Rev.  Mr.  Johnson’s  Meteorological  Table  for  1845-G,  at 
Waioli,  on  Kauai,  is  interesting,  as  being  the  only  one  I have 
of  a locality  on  the  windward  side  of  any  of  the  islands. 
This  table  was  first  publised  in  The  American  Journal  of 
Sciences  and  Arts.  I copy  it  from  Mr.  Bingham’s  “ Sandwich 
Islands." 


Fah.  Thermometer. 

Winds. 

Weather. 

a 

c3 

B 

B 

V 

•o 

S 5 E 

3 

Month. 

C 

b£  S 

« £ 

3 

S 

i 

c 

ei  . 
H £ 

3 

sL 

C C ei  cu  e; 

3 

C- 

and  date. 

> trs 
< 

s 

^ l-H 
> 

< 

u 

< 

">< 

cS 

*c 

. ei 
H 

. d. 

> 

C 

> 

1.5 

'O  "O  ^ 

■3  '5  3^3  2 

1 

Show 

X 

c 

.3 

April, 

1S45. 

66-0 

75-0 

70'0 

82  0 

62-0 

70-2 

21 

20 

10 

11 

14-0 

9 4 4 11 10 

9 

7 

6 

17 

May, 

69-6 

80-3 

74-0 

85-0 

60-0 

74-6 

27 

27 

4 

4 

6-0 

1110  5 414 

15 

1 

2 

10 

June, 

July, 

71-6 

82-6 

75-0 

90-0 

660 

76-4 

25 

27 

5 

3 

4-0 

16  17  2 110 

10 

3 

3 

12 

72-0 

82-0 

75-8 

86-0 

69-0 

76-3 

30 

30 

1 

1 

8-0 

9 7 7 6 9 

16 

6 

2 

21 

Auffust, 

“ 

71-6 

83-2 

76-9 

89  0 

67-0 

77-2 

29 

29 

2 

2 

5*5 

9 15  2 5 7 

8 

3 

3 

12 

Sept., 

“ 

71-4 

82-6 

70-6 

87-0 

680 

76-8, 

28 

27 

2 

3 

54 

16  12  S'  4 11 

13 

0 

1 

14 

October, 

69-6 

78  5 

73-8 

840 

64-0 

740 

18 

16 

13 

15 

18-4 

11  10  5 3 9 

10 

6 

8 

22 

Nov., 

“ 

66 ‘7 

78-3 

72-0 

82-0 

57-0 

72-3 

4 

4 

26 

26 

5-2 

22  19  2 4 4 

4 

2 

3 

10 

Dec., 

“ 

65-2 

750 

690 

820 

57-0 

69-7 

7 

7 

24 

24 

5-0 

18  10  6 5 6 

6 

1 

1 

11 

January, 

1846. 

62-0 

71-8 

67-9 

79-0 

54-0 

67-2 

3 

3 

28 

28 

4-6 

18'  7 8 8 1 

4 

4 

3 

10 

Feb., 

“ 

63-3 

73-5 

68-4 

78*0 

57  0 

68-4 

10 

10 

18 

18 

3-0 

1614  10  10  0 

1 

2 

3 

10 

March, 

U 

63-4 

75*8 

69-5 

800 

56-0 

G9-5, 

18 

18 

13 

13 

0-6 

15|1416  8,  4 

4 

6 

5 

16 

“ At  Koloa,  on  Kauai,  the  thermometer  varies  from  50°  to 
90°. ” (Jarvis’  History  of  Sandwich  Islands.) 

The  following  most  valuable  and  complete  “ General 
Table  of  Meteorological  Observations  at  Honolidu,  from 
January  1st,  1837,  to  January  1st,  1839,”  was  prepared  for 
the  Hawaiian  Spectator  by  T.  Chas.  Byde  Eooke,  F.  R.  C.  S. 
Honolulu  is  on  the  south  side  of  Oahu,  and  is  by  fiir  the  most 
important  town  of  the  Islands. 


1837. 

Barometer. 

Fah.  Therm. 

Winds. 

Weather. 

Rain  during  the 
mouth  in  inches. 

Aver,  height 
at  7 a.m. 

'0  . 

1 ' 
1 Aver,  height 
at  10  p.tu.  1 

&B 

gd 

S’*' 

<i 

•fi> 

cS 

Si  s' 

£ ft 
< 

0 P 
©0 

> r-i 
< 

© 

' Southerly 
days.  1 

Variable 

days. 

Fine  days.  '] 

Rainy  days.  ) 

January 

29-970 

30-006 

30-043 

67-9 

76-6 

71-3 

10 

14 

7 

24 

3 

4 

20 

I'cbruarv  . . . 

30*076 

30-030 

30*060 

71-1 

71-7 

72-7 

22 

4 

2 

19 

3 

6 

1*7 

March 

30-098 

30-057 

30-087 

69-6 

76*6 

72-4 

19 

6 

5 

22 

2 

2*5 

April 

30-128 

30-092 

30-117 

72-1 

78-4 

73-7 

SO 

0 

0 ; 

25 

4 

1 

1*2 

May 

30-109 

30-085 

30-097 

73-4 

80-2 

75-0 

30 

1 

0 

29 

1 

1 

0*9 

June 

30-093 

30-061 

30-085 

76-1 

81-9 

77-5 

29 

0 

1 

21 

3 

6 

1*4 

July — 

30-115 

30-095 

30-107 

76-4 

81-5 

77-3 

28 

1 

2 

21 

7 

3 

2*8 

August 

30-077 

30-006 

30-087 

76-9 

82-8 

78-1 

30 

0 

1 

22 

3 

6 

2*0 

Suptemher.. 

30-095 

30-060 

30-097 

76-5 

83-0 

77-0 

29 

1 

0 

29 

1 

0 

0-7 

October 

30-116 

30-076 

30-1-20 

74-8 

80  6 

76-0 

26 

4 

1 

28 

1 

2 

0*4 

November .- 

30-070 

30-029 

30-071 

72-7 

77-9 

73-8 

19 

7 

4 

18 

8 

4 

4-5 

December  — 

30-124 

30-072 

30-115 

69-9 

76-5 

71-1 

23 

6 

2 

27 

1 

3 

1-0 

Averacre-- 

30-128 

30-060 

30-090 

73  1 

79-5 

74-8 

295 

44 

26 

285 

37 

43 

21-1 

11 


Uarometer. 

Fah.  Therm. 

Winds. 

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Januarv.  -- 

30-060 

30028 

30-054 

09-3 

75-6 

71-5 

21 

5 

5 

25 

3 

3 

0-8 

February.. 

30-016 

29-970 

30-605 

71-2 

75-3 

72-1 

20 

3 

5 

18 

0 

4 

8-5 

March 

30-10.) 

30  064 

30-095 

72-0 

75  1 

72-5 

22 

3 

6 

21 

4 

6 

2-1 

April 

30  1-27 

30-095 

30-140 

71-5 

70  7 

7-2  8 

29 

1 

0 

27 

1 

2 

1-0 

May 

30-149 

30-139 

30-162 

73  2 

80-3 

75-5 

25 

5 

1 

28 

] 

2 

0 5 

June 

30-085 

30-040 

30-090 

75-5 

81-7 

77-1 

20 

7 

3 

17 

3 

10 

2-5 

July 

30-091 

30-068 

30-092 

76-4 

82-5 

77-9 

26 

3 

2 

-24 

3 

4 

1-5 

August 

3)-078 

30-05-2 

30078 

77-2 

83-2 

78-4 

30 

1 

0 

28 

1 

2 

1-2 

September. 

30-073 

30-035 

30-068 

70  7 

8-2-0 

78-4 

27 

2 

1 

25 

3 

2 

2-5 

October. ... 

30-040 

30-0-21 

30-042 

75-0 

80-1 

76-9 

16 

7 

8 

20 

5 

6 

1-2-0 

November. 

30-041 

30-008 

30-644 

7-2-3 

76-6 

73  7 

18 

9 

3 

19 

5 

0 

6.7 

December.. 

29-978 

29-876 

29-993 

71-5 

76-3 

73-3 

4 

-25 

2 

-23 

6 

2 

7.5 

Aver,  ofyear 

30-087 

30-033 

30-072 

73-5 

78-8 

75-1  j 

-258 

71 

36 

275 

41 

49 

40-8 

Of  Waialua,  on  the  western  side  of  Oahu,  Coin.  Wilkes 
affirms,  on  the  authority  of  residents  : — “ The  thermometer 
ranges  from  75°  to  S0°,  and  has  not  fallen  below  5o°  for 
several  years,  and  rarely  below  00°. ” 

The  temperature  of  Lahaina,  on  the  south  of  Maui,  as  given 
by  Dr.  Chapin  (Amcr.  Jour,  of  Sci.  and  Arts),  corresponds  with 
that  of  the  al)ove-mentioned  places.  He  was  guided  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Richards’  tables,  kept  for  ten  years,  which  exhibit  “the 
highest  tliermometric  elevation  at  SG°,  the  lowest  at  54°,  the 
extreme  diflerence  32°,  and  no  day  during  the  whole  period 
exhibits  a difference  of  more  than  19°.  June  has  the  high- 
est range,  January  the  lowest.”  “Lahaina  is  one  of  the 
most  arid  districts  of  the  group,  and  has  seldom  rain  sufficient 
to  moisten  the  soil  through  its  whole  depth,  except  in  the 
winter  or  rainy  season.  For  months  in  succession  the  sun 
is  scarcely  obscured  by  clouds,  and  its  exemption  from  the 
direct  inffuence  of  tlie  trades  might  lead  us  to  expect  several 
degrees  of  the  thermometer  above  the  more  wet  and  windy 
portions ; but  so  far  as  my  observation  has  extended,  and  I 
have  visited  every  portion  of  the  island,  it  is  not  the  case.” 
Of  Kailua,  on  the  west  or  lee  side  of  Hawaii,  Capt.  Wilkes 
states: — “During  the  winter  the  tliermometer  ranges,  at 
sunrise,  from  04°  to  78° ; at  mid-day,  from  70°  to  85°  ; at  sun- 
set, 70°  to  80°.  In  summer  the  range  is  08°  to  80°  at  sun- 
rise ; at  mid-day,  78°  to  80°  ; and  at  sunset,  72°  to  81°. ” 


12 


Of  Kaawaloa,  on  the  lee  coast  of  Hawaii,  Capt.  Wilkes 
states: — “ The  thermometer  ranges  between  G2°  and  76°  in 
the  winter,  and  from  70°  to  86°  in  the  summer,  and  seldom 
above  86°  or  below  62°. ” 

“ The  average  temperature  of  Waimca,  Hawaii,  situated  in 
the  interior  at  an  elevation  of  about  4,000  feet,  is  nearly  64° 
Fahrenheit,  48°  being  the  lowest  extreme.”  (Jarvis’  His- 
tory of  the  Sandwich  Islands.) 

It  is  to  be  regretted  we  have  no  greater  number  of  statis- 
tics regarding  the  falls  of  Rain,  but  we  shall  pi’obably  state 
the  truth  with  sufficient  accuracy,  if  we  allow  the  average 
annual  amount  on  the  windward  shores  to  be  seventy-five 
inches,  and  on  the  leeward,  twenty-five. 

The  climate  of  the  Haw'aiian  Islands  is  one  of  the  most 
equable  possible.  A few  comparative  statements,  princi- 
pally deduced  from  the  preceding  tables  and  statements,  will 
be  of  interest. 

The  daily  range  of  thermometer  is  : — at  Penzance,-  6i°  ; at 
Nice,  81°  ; at  Rome,  11°  ; and  at  Honolulu,  12°. 

The  mean  difference  of  successive  months  is  : — at  St.  Augustine 
(Florida),  3°  68' ; at  Penzance,  3°  05' ; at  Key  West,  2°  44' ; 
at  Madeira,  2°  41';  and  at  Honolulu,  in  1837,  1.59°,  in  1838, 
1.77°;  and  at  Waioli  in  1845-6,  1.77°. 

The  mean  annual  range  (I  quote  from  Dr.  Lee,  in  Dr.  Cop- 
land’s Dictionary  ofPrac.  Med.)  is : — at  St.  Augustine,  53° ; at 
Penzance,  49°  ; at  Key  West,  37°  ; and  at  Madeira,  23°.  At 
Honolulu,  the  extremes,  during  twelve  years,  were  90°  and 
53°,  the  range  being  37°  ; during  1837  the  maximum  was 
85°,  the  minimum  was  61°,  the  range  24°;  and  during  1839 
the  maximum  was  86°,  the  minimum  62°,  the  range  24°. 
At  Lahaina,  during  a period  of  ten  successive  years,  the  ex- 
treme points  of  thermometric  elevation  and  depression  were 
86°  and  54°,  making  a range  of  only  32°.  At  Waioli,  in 
1845-6,  the  maximum  was  90°,  the  minimum  54°,  the  range 
36°.  It  is  palpable  that  these  statements  regarding  Lahaina, 
Honolulu,  and  Waioli,  are  by  no  means  as  comparatively 
favorable  as  they  might  be,  for  they  either  refer  to  individu- 


13 


al  years,  or  embrace  periods  of  ten  and  twelve  years,  and 
give  the  absolute  extremes,  rather  than  the  mean  annual 
ranges,  as  given  for  St.  Augustine,  Penzance,  Key  West,  and 
Madeira.  It  is  my  impression  that  the  mean  annual  range 
of  many  Sandwich  Islands  localities  will  yet  be  proved  less 
than  even  that  of  Madeira. 

The  mean  annual  tcm'pcralure  of  the  West  Indies  is  79°  to 
81°,  on  the  leeward  side  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands  about 
75°,  and  on  the  windward  about  72°. 

On  our  present  subject  Dr.  Chapin  remarks : — “The climate 
will  be  found  extremely  pleasant  and  ecpiable,  and  not  sur- 
passed in  salubrity  by  any  in  the  world.  Indeed,  what  place 
can  be  found  more  uniform — the  thermometer,  during  a space 
of  ten  years,  not  having  varied  more  than  thirty-two  degrees ; 
and  where  no  day  during  the  same  period  had  a variation  of 
more  than  nineteen  degrees ; where  the  same  clothing  is 
found  comfortable  the  whole  year,  and  where  no  other  regu- 
lator of  the  temperature  is  needed  than  simply  to  open  or 
close  a window.” 

Dr.  Judd,  in  noticing  the  amusing  observations  on  the 
weather  one  will  hear  in  the  course  of  a half-hour’s  walk, 
says: — “One  will  tell  you  the  weather  is  very  pleasant; 
another,  who,  perhaps,  has  taken  a little  more  exercise  than 
usual,  will  say  it  is  hot ; another,  at  ease  in  the  shade,  will 
remark  it  is  cool ; while  another  will  ascribe  to  the  weather 
any  other  quality  which  his  own  dullness  or  buoyancy  of 
spirits  may  suggest.  The  fact,  most  probably,  will  be,  that 
there  is  nothing  unusual  or  noticeable  in  the  weather,  and  it 
would  not  be  a subject  of  remark,  but  for  our  early  habits  in 
a land  of  sudden  and  severe  changes.  The  natives  seldom 
speak  of  the  w'eather ; indeed,  there  is  no  word  in  their 
language  to  express  that  general  idea,  and  it  is  only  the 
occurrence  of  a storm  or  something  unusual,  that  attracts 
sufficient  attention  to  make  it  a subject  of  remark.” 

The  Hawaiian  Islands  have  been  spoken  of  as  well  suited 
to  persons  of  phthisical  tendencies  ; and,  in  many  respects, 
they  are  admirably  adapted.  Such  uniformity  of  mild  tern- 


14 


perature  is  only  equaled  by  few  far-famed  localities.  The 
period  will,  probably,  soon  arrive  when  consumptives  will 
resort  there  for  health,  as  they  now  visit  the  West  Indies 
or  the  Canaries.  Not  every  season  is  equally  favorable, 
however.  The  diy  or  trade  wind  season,  from  April  to 
September  inclusive,  will,  pi-obably,  be  found  the  best,  as 
may  be  inferred  from  the  following  table  deduced  from  those 
already  given: — 


April  to  September. 

October  to  March. 

Max. 

Therm. 

Min. 

Therm. 

Range 
Therm.  1 

1 

Inches 

Rain. 

Max. 

Therm. 

Min. 

Therm. 

Range 

Therm. 

Inches 

Rain. 

Honolulu- . 

....1S37 

S5* 

71° 

14°  1 

12-6 

83° 

61° 

22° 

93 

“ 

1838 

■ 86’ 

68° 

18° 

11-3 

82° 

62* 

20° 

3o"5  . 

Waioli 

.. .1845-6 

90° 

62° 

28°  1 

42-9 

84° 

56° 

28° 

42-9 

Nor  are  all  parts  of  the  Islands  equally  favorable.  Selec- 
tions must  be  made,  and  they  can  be,  though  neither 
Honolulu  nor  Lahaina,  the  two  most  populous  and  important 
seaports,  is  to  be  most  highly  recommended. 

As  the  Islands  are  populated  by  a race  of  higher  civiliza- 
tion, and  as  the  luxuries  of  life  are  multiplied  and  diffused 
so  that  the  best  adapted  localities  shall  furnish  the  essentials 
for  an  invalid  life,  and  as  the  facilities  for  communication 
are  increased  and  multiplied,  the  reputation  of  their  most 
romantic  and  varied  scenery,  and  their  almost  unparalleled 
salubrit}',  will  rapidly  make  them  a noted  resort  for  the 
united  objects  of  pleasure  and  health. 

THE  DISEASES  OF  TIIE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS. 

With  such  a climate  as  just  described,  it  will  be  asked, 
what  of  aggravated  disease  is  to  be  exiiected.  I reply,  that 
the  greatest  number  and  worst  aggravations  of  diseases  among 
the  native  Hawaiians  are  due  to  their  miserable  modes  of 
living.  Did  they  live  physiologically,  they  themselves  would 
secure  the  same  immunity  from  acute  and  destructive  dis- 
eases that  the  natives  of  foreign  lands  among  them  enjoy, 
and  might  multiply,  in  contradiction  of  the  nonsensical  gib- 
berish which  speaks  of  “the  incvitahlc  fate  of  the  Indian  race 


15 


before  the  foot  of  the  Anglo-Saxon.”  Though  in  very  many 
particulars  improved,  they  still,  as  a nation,  require  medical 
reform.  The  effort  would  be  an  interesting  one,  to  attempt, 
more  directly  and  systematically  than  any  of  their  benefactors 
have  yet  been  able  to  do,  the  medical  education  of  the  islanders. 
This  must,  perhaps,  be  effected  mainly  through  medical  men 
of  their  own  nation,  educated  by  foreign  physicians.  And  as 
such  men,  if  of  proper  moral  character,  will  be  of  eminent 
service  in  the  civilization  of  other  Pacific  Ocean  islanders, 
we  may  hope  the  attempt  will  soon  be  systematically  com- 
menced. 

Their  diseases  are  principally  dependent  on  sudden  varia- 
tions of  temperature  (this,  too,  in  a climate  emphatically 
uniform) — on  irregularity  in  diet, — and  (though  it  involves  a 
second  paradox)  on  defective  cleanliness,  though  liabitually  a 
nation  of  bathers — “ causes  which,  it  is  believed,  owing  to 
general  improvements,  are  annually  less  active  in  their 
nature,  and  in  time  will  mostly  be  checked.”  (Jarvis.)  The 
lion.  Mr.  Wyllie,  in  his  Notes  on  the  Iluicaiian  Islands, 
remarks : — “ Dr.  Chapin  considers  that  most  of  the  diseases, 
to  which  the  natives  are  subject,  arise  from  cold,  bad  houses, 
and  bad  clothing.  The  means  of  preventing  the  operation  of 
these  causes  are  to  be  sought  for  only  in  the  diffusion  of 
wealth,  created  by  general  industry,  for  which  there  are 
superabundant  elements.” 

We  will  first  treat  of  Syphilis,  pronounced  by  some,  as 
by  Dr.  Chapin,  “the  monster  disease.”  We  here  enter 
debated  ground;  but  reliance  on  the  testimony  of  judicious 
medical  men,  whose  long  residence  there  gives  them  authori- 
ty to  speak,  will  e.xtricate  us. 

The  stereotyped  history  of  Syphilis  among  them  runs 
thus : — The  disease  was  unknown  until  the  discovery  of  the 
islands  by  Capt.  Cook.  From  his  crew  it  was  first  commu- 
nicated to  the  females  of  Waimea  on  Kauai  and  of  Keala- 
keakua  on  Hawaii,  and  from  thence  it  radiated  through  the 
unimpeded  channels  of  licentiousness  over  the  whole  group, 
among  all  ranks.  From  1778  till  now  the  disease  has  done 


16 


its  work  of  mutilation  and  death,  has  manifested  itself  in  all 
its  hideous  deformities,  and  has  so  destroyed  the  Hawaiian 
constitution  that  the  nation  is  spoken  of  as  physically  rotten, 
and  that  the  hopes  of  continued  national  existence  are  de- 
stroyed. I quote  the  Narrative  of  the  U.  S.  Ex.  Expedition : 
— “ Mr.  Whitney  imputes  this  rapid  decrease  to  foreign 
vicious  habits,  and  both  foreign  and  natwe  authorities 
attribute  the  introduction  of  the  venereal  to  the  visit  of 
Capt.  Cook.  This  infection,  brought  to  these  Islands  by  the 
first  voyagers,  may  now  be  said  to  pervade  the  whole  popu- 
lation, and  has  reduced  the  natives  to  a morbid,  sickly  state  ; 
many  of  the  women  are  incapable  of  child-bearing,  and  of  the 
children  which  are  born  only  a few  live  to  maturity.”  Dr. 
Chapin,  in  The  American  Journal  of  Medical  Sciences,  says  : — 
“ With  such  an  introduction,  the  venereal  disease  has  for 
the  past  fifty-seven  years  continued  to  spread  and  increase  ; 
perpetuated  and  extended,  too,  by  almost  every  vessel  which 
touches  at  the  Islands,  till  words  fail  to  express  the  wretched- 
ness and  woe  which  have  been  the  result.  Foul  ulcers,  of 
many  years’  standing,  both  indolent  and  phagedenic,  every- 
where abound,  and  visages  horridly  deformed,  eyes  rendered 
blind,  noses  entirely  destroyed,  mouths  monstrously  drawn 
aside  from  their  natural  position,  ulcerating  palates,  and 
almost  useless  arms  and  legs,  mark  most  clearly  the  state 
and  progress  of  the  disease  among  that  injured  and  helpless 
people.”  Rev.  Artemas  Bishop  remarks  : — “Their  previous 
looseness  of  morals  formed  a ready  conductor  for  the  disease 
which  was  introduced  by  the  first  ship  which  touched  here, 
and  from  the  account  given  by  the  natives  themselves,  the 
consequences  were  incalculably  more  dreadful  than  had  been 
feared  by  Capt.  Cook  and  his  associates.  The  deadly  virus 
had  a wide  and  rapid  circulation  throughout  the  blood,  the 
bones,  and  sinews  of  the  nation,  and  left  in  its  course  a train 
of  wretchedness  and  miseiy  which  the  very  pen  blushes  to 
record.  In  the  lapse  of  a few  j-ears,  a dreadful  mortality, 
heightened,  if  not  induced,  by  their  unholy  intercourse, 
swept  away  one-half  the  population,  leaving  the  dead  un- 


17 


buried  for  want  of  those  able  to  perform  the  rites  of  sepul- 
ture.” The  following,  by  David  Malo,  a native  Hawaiian 
writer,  is  worthy  of  quotation,  for  its  just  recognition  of 
God’s  moral  discipline  exerting  itself  through  the  ordinary 
and  natural  laws  of  disease : — “ This  disease  has  become 
prevalent  among  the  people,  and  even  children,  and  all  the 
people  of  the  Islands  are  miserably  diseased ; and  it  is  clear 
that,  from  the  arrival  of  Capt.  Cook  to  the  present  day,  the 
people  have  been  dying  with  the  venereal  disorder.  For- 
eigners (David  IMalo,  would,  of  course,  make  many  excep- 
tions) have  lent  their  whole  influence  to  make  the  Hawaiian 
Islands  one  great  brothel.  For  this  cause  God  is  angry,  and 
he  is  diminishing  the  people,  and  they  are  nigh  unto  desola- 
tion.” 

Though  many  of  the  above  statements  are  incontrovert- 
ibly  true,  they,  probably,  convey  an  exaggerated  view  of  a 
great  and  real  evil.  Knowing  that  the  disease  had  been  in- 
troduced and  had  been  disastrous,  many  an  ulcerous  leg  and 
ophthalmic  eye,  and  nearly  the  whole  body  of  deformities, 
congenital  and  acquired,  together  with  all  tlie  barrenness  of 
the  females,  were  imputed  to  the  monster  disease.  Still  we 
shall  not  deny  it  the  cliaracter  of  an  important  individual 
among  their  maladies,  and  one  that,  with  several  other 
grave  causes  which  have  each  reacted  on  the  other  for  evil, 
has  materially  assisted  on  the  nation’s  calamity. 

Another  series  of  statements  must  also  be  subjected  to 
doubt, — namely,  that  which,  without  broaching  the  involved 
question  as  to  the  previous  existence  of  a venereal  disease, 
would  make  that  disease  introduced  by  Capt.  Cook  different  in 
kind  from  any  thing  which  could  have  preceded,  and  very 
different  in  degree,  if  not  in  kind,  from  any  thing  now  exist- 
ing. This  opinion  need  not,  perhaps,  be  more  particularly 
discussed  in  this  paragraph,  as  our  remarks  on  the  third  series 
of  statements  will  further  elucidate  this. 

The  philosophical  query,  as  to  the  true  period  of  the  incep- 
tion of  the  disease  among  the  Hawaiians,  involves  a discus- 
sion of  the  long-mooted  question  of  its  origin  among  Euro- 
2 


18 


peans — a debate  we  shall  sedulously  avoid.  Whatever  may 
be  the  theory  of  its  existence  in  Europe  or  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  anteriorly  to  the  respectively  accredited  periods  of 
1493  and  1776,  the  fact  seems  undeniable,  that  at  about 
those  dates  a disease,  supposed  to  have  been  before  unknown, 
spread  with  marvelous  rapidity,  attacking  primarily  the 
genitals,  but  introducing  as  accompaniments  or  sequelae 
“excruciating  nocturnal  pains,  corroding  ulcers  over  the 
whole  body,  afiections  of  the  throat  and  nose,  and,  very  fre- 
quently, death.”  (J.  Bacot.)  Whatever  we  may  deem  prob- 
able, or  may  demonstrate  as  certain,  as  to  the  anterior  exist- 
ence of  genital  diseases,  it  must  be  admitted,  that,  as  in 
Europe,  so  at  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  there  came  a time  when 
particular  morbid  developments  on  and  near  the  organs  of 
generation  received  unusual  attention  and  were  attended  by 
constitutional  symptoms  unnoticed  before,  and  by  remote 
local  diseases  of  unprecedented  phagedenic  character — that 
this  new  disease  (as  it  was  supposed  to  be)  was  contagious 
in  a wonderful  degree,  and  spread  through  the  nation,  and 
was  a source  of  general  dread,  often  proving  miserably  fatal. 
As  proofs,  we  need  but  refer  to  such  statements  as  just 
quoted  from  various  residents,  which  are  undeniable  and 
decisive  on  these  points,  whatever  we  may  judge  as  to  their 
over-statement  regarding  the  national  degeneracy  being 
mainly  attributable  to  this  monster. 

With  regard  to  the  present  condition  of  the  disease,  it 
seems  also  undeniable  that  as  in  Europe,  so  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  Syphilis  has  ceased  to  be  a dread,  and  though  there 
be  many  syphilised  constiturions,  the  immediate  develop- 
ments of  the  disease  are  not  usually  found  save  in  the  chan- 
nels of  systeinatic  prostitution.  And,  in  confirmation,  I will 
quote,  first,  a report  made  in  1839,  before  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Protestant  Mission  of  the  Islands,  by  a committee 
consisting  of  the  physicians  of  the  mission,  who,  at  that 
time,  constituted  by  far  the  majority  of  the  resident  phy- 
sicians. I transcribe  a considerable  portion  of  the  report 
for  its  intrinsic  importance,  though  the  last  sentence  quoted 
is  that  bearing  directly  on  the  subject  at  issue. 


19 


“ 1.  That  they  find  the  climate  of  the  Islands  highly 
favorable  to  the  development  and  perfection  of  the  animal 
economy,  the  mean  temperature  being  within  a few  degrees 
of  that  point  which  physiologists  consider  most  favorable  to 
human  life,  and  free  from  those  sudden  and  great  changes  to 
which  most  other  climates  are  subject. 

“ 2.  That  notwithstanding  the  favorableness  of  the  climate, 
they  find  an  unusual  amount  of  disease  among  the  natives, 
especially  of  the  sub-acute  character,  which,  though  for  the 
most  part  not  very  painful,  tends  always  to  undermine  the 
constitution  and  pave  the  way  to  a premature  grave. 

“3.  That  the  immediate  causes  of  most  of  their  maladies 
are  plainly  ascribable  to  their  frequent  violation  of  the  first 
principles  of  correct  living;  to  their  low  estimate  of  life, 
and  recklessness  of  themselves;  to  their  wretched  habita- 
tions, which  furnish  little  comfort  or  protection ; to  their 
practice  of  lying  on  the  damp  ground ; to  want  of  protec- 
tion by  clothing,  in  exhausted  conditions  of  the  system, 
against  vicissitudes  of  the  weather ; and  to  their  poverty, 
which  keeps  them  strangers  to  necessaries  and  comforts. 

“4.  That  we  have  witnessed  no  fatal  epidemics  since  we 
arrived  at  the  Islands,  and  tliat,  of  those  diseases  depending 
upon  a specific  contagion,  almost  no  lives  are  now  lost.  * * 
The  venereal  disease,  which,  probably,  did  once  make  con- 
siderable havoc  among  this  people,  seems  now  so  far  to  have 
worn  itself  out,  that  we  seldom  see  it  as  recently  contracted, 
except  about  the  harbors,  and  there  not  extensively,  and 
very  few  deaths  from  it  have  occurred  in  our  practice. 
Neither  do  we  perceive  that  this  disease  materially  retards 
the  increase  of  population  on  these  Islands.” 

Dr.  Lafon,  several  years  a resident  at  those  Islands,  affirms, 
in  reference  to  abortions,  that  they  are  no  more  frequent  than 
elsewhere,  and  that  they  very  rarely  have  connection  with 
Syphilis  ; and  as  to  the  effects  of  the  disease  on  the  progeny, 
it  also  is  infrequent.  He  unhesitatingly  asserts  that  mis- 
takes are  made  in  attributing  to  Syphilis  the  great  body  of 
ulcers  and  tumors  and  other  occasional  results  of  the  disease. 


20 


Mr.  Jarvis,  iu  liis  History,  says : — “ The  venereal  disease 
has  almost  exhausted  itself,  and  it  is  rarely  to  be  met  with, 
except  about  the  sea-ports,  where  the  virus  is  kept  active 
by  augmentation  from  foreign  countries.  Even  in  these 
places  it  does  not  prevail  either  extensively  or  fatally,  nor 
can  it  be  said  materially  to  retard  the  increase  of  population 
at  the  present  time.” 

These  authorities,  who  bring  with  them  every  element  of 
reliability,  agree  in  the  assertion  that  primary  Syphilis  is 
comparatively  rare.  "Who  will,  then,  question  the  direct  and 
inevitable  inference  that  secondary  Syphilis  must  be  at  least 
as  infrequent.  And  if  this  be  established,  it  will  be  seen,  as 
before  intimated,  that  that  class  or  form  of  statements  which 
pronounces  the  Hawaiian  constitution  syphilitically  rotten, 
and  which  solves  the  problem  regarding  depopulation  by 
the  asserted  prevalence  of  the  venereal  taint,  must  be  in 
some  degree  erroneous.  With  the  above  facts  before  us,  the 
national  constitution  cannot  be  affiimed  to  lie  s}’philitically 
destroyed,  unless  the  theory  be  developed  that  individuals 
and  a people  may  be  so  tainted  by  this  disease,  through  their 
ancestors,  as  to  lose  their  powers  of  procreation.  Such  a 
theory  will,  so  far  as  I am  aware,  be  a new  one  to  the  medi- 
cal world.  Without  doubt,  syphilitic  children  of  syphilitic 
parents  attain  to  less  vigor  and  are  more  liable  to  disease, 
and,  so  far  as  these  causes  are  operative,  may  be  possessed  of 
less  virility  ; but  have  we  evidence  of  a specific  eftect  on  the 
procreative  faculties  of  the  descendants  V Is  there  naught 
that  destroys  virility  but  Syphilis '?  And  if  such  a fact  or 
law  as  the  above  theory  be  yet  proved,  we  must  neither  then 
nor  now  ignore  the  much  more  palpable  and  better  known 
causes  to  which  we  shall  presently  allude. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  our  authorities  speak  of  the  disease 
having  “worn  itself  out,”  and  of  its  having  “exhausted 
itself.”  These  expressions  cannot  have  been  intended  by 
their  authors  to  be  taken  in  a rigid  medical  construction,  as 
though  it  were  proved  that  this  virus  did,  by  any  law'  in  any 
community,  lose  its  inherent  virulence.  It  will  be  suffi- 


21 


cient  to  say  of  the  period  of  aggravated  syphilitic  affections 
at  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  as  of  that  in  Europe,  that  by  a 
better  acc|uaintance  with  the  medication  of  the  disease,  and 
with  the  laws  of  its  propagation,  and  also  by  the  consequent 
removal  of  the  veil  of  mystery,  the  era  of  dread  and  devasta- 
tion was  passed.  It  may  also  be  suggested  that  Syphilis, 
like  other  diseases,  may  have  its  periods  of  aggravation  from 
unknown  epidemic  causes,  and  that  tlie  syphilitic  periods 
of  Europe  and  the  Hawaiian  Islands  may  have  been  compli- 
cated with  such  causes.  It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that 
the  morals  of  the  people  have  since  that  time  been  improved 
— a cause  which  would  alone  tend  to  lessen  the  evil.  It 
must  also  be  noticed  that  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  during 
the  period  in  question,  there  existed  certain  2>olitical  and 
civil  conditions  which  served  as  great  aggravations  not  only 
to  the  syphilitic  but  to  other  affections,  and  that  these  con- 
ditions are  not  now  as  disastrous  as  then.  We  pass  on  to  a 
more  particular  consideration  of  these  conditions. 

The  question  now  presses  itself  as  to  those  causes  of 
depopulation,  to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  on  the  suppo- 
sition that  they  were  of  themselves  sufficient  without  an 
overpowering  and  still  active  syphilis.  I answer  it  by 
quotations  of  some  length  from  Mr.  Jarvis’  History,  and  will 
leave  it  for  others  to  judge  whether  they  are  not  conditions 
sufficiently  disastrous  not  oidy  to  directly  diminisli  the  num- 
ber, but  even  to  lessen  the  fecundity  of  the  nation,  especially 
when  we  superadd  the  readily  acknowledged  disaster  of 
Syphilis  in  its  usual  and  well  known  degrees. 

“ Since  the  time  of  Cook  a rapid  decrease  has  occurred.. 
Neither  is  this  melancholy  result  of  difficult  solution.  The 
population  of  the  Islands  probably  never  amounted  to  what, 
with  the  aids  of  civilization,  they  could  be  made  capable  of 
supporting.  During  their  heathen  state,  though  divided 
into  many  hostile  tribes,  perpetually  engaged  in  warfare, 
their  battles,  from  the  imperfection  of  their  weapons,  were 
comparatively  bloodless.  That  very  condition  served  to 
develop  enterprise  and  a national  spirit,  though  accompanied 


22 


with  beastly  excesses,  and  thus  a spirit  favorable  to  physical 
growth  was  stimulated.  The  boundless  hospitality  which 
every  chief  was  obliged  by  the  spirit  of  his  race  to  exercise, 
and  which  prevailed  even  among  the  canaille,  always  found 
food  and  shelter  for  the  oppressed.  A man  dissatisfied  with 
one  master  had  hut  to  flee  to  another,  and  he  was  sheltered 
and  welcomed.  Taxes  were  heavy  and  much  labor  required, 
but  as  it  was  generally  for  the  support  of  the  whole,  an 
interested  motive  existed.  The  same  work  which  would 
destroy  the  energies  of  a man  who  was  to  receive  no  reward 
for  his  toil,  would  produce  health  and  cheerfulness  in  one 
who  had  an  interest  in  the  result.  Every  individual  had 
that  to  some  extent  in  the  wealth  and  success  of  his  chief ; 
hence  a patriarchal  feeling  was  developed,  which,  with  long 
used  and  uncontested  power,  will  sufficiently  account  for 
the  deep  reverence,  fear,  and  canine-like  attachment,  with 
which  the  common  people  regarded  their  superiors.  Excep- 
tions to  this  no  doubt  prevailed,  and  much  misery  was  the 
consequence ; but  as  a general  principle  it  was  correct,  and 
stands  in  strong  contrast  with  the  relative  condition  of  the 
two  classes,  after  a thirst  for  foreign  wealth  was  developed 
by  intercourse  with  whites.  A grasping,  avaricious  disposi- 
tion succeeded  ; ends  were  to  be  attained  regardless  of  the 
means  used.  The  little  natural  human  feeling  the  chiefs 
possessed,  was  extinguished  by  an  all-powerful  passion  for 
gain.  Interested  foreigners  stimulated  this  desire  ; cargoes 
of  rich  goods  were  brought,  luxuries  displayed,  and  no  means 
left  untried  to  excite  their  cupidity.  The  unfortunate  result 
is  well  known.  The  whole  physical  resources  of  the  king- 
dom were  over-wrought,  and  women  and  children  were 
taxed  beyond  their  powers.  Sandal  wood  was  to  be  col- 
lected ; mountains  and  valleys  almost  inaccessible  were  to  be 
penetrated,  and  heavy  loads  borne  on  bleeding  shoulders  to 
the  sea-side.  Like  the  children  of  Israel,  their  toil  was 
doubled  and  their  sufferings  found  no  consideration  in  the  eyes 
of  their  cruel  task-masters.  Cultivation  was  neglected,  and 
famine  ensued.  Multitudes  perished  under  their  burdens ; 


23 


others  left  their  homes  and  wandered  like  wild  beasts  in  the 
dejiths  of  forests,  where  they  either  slowly  sunk  under  the 
horrors  of  want  and  staiwation,  or  sustained  a miserable  ex- 
istence on  roots  and  wild  fruits.  Blind  to  the  consequences, 
the  chiefs  continued  the  same  policy.  Debts  were  con- 
tracted which  must  be  discharged,  and  increased  taxes  were 
imposed.  Xo  property  was  safe.  A native  could  neither 
hold  nor  acquire — all  was  his  chief’s — even  his  children  be- 
came a source  of  additional  suffering,  for  every  head  was 
taxed  ! — infanticide  greatly  increased  ; — parents  gave  away 
their  offspring,  and  the  natural  feelings  of  the  nation  were 
crushed  beneath  this  iron  despotism.  Life  became  a weari- 
some burthen ; numbers  of  the  most  active  sought  safety  and 
employment  abroad.  The  first  effects  of  Christianity  added 
to  this  already  intolerable  load.  So  long  had  this  system 
been  pursued,  that  no  other  plan  of  public  works,  than  the 
compulsoiy  labor  of  the  whole  population,  seemed  feasible. 
Regardless  of  the  instruction  and  advice  of  their  religious 
teachers,  they  added  to  their  labors  the  toil  of  building 
churches,  school-houses,  and  other  works,  necessary  in  them- 
selves, but  erected  by  unholy  means.  This  s)'stem  prevailed 
in  later  days,  with  mitigations,  however,  until  183S,  when 
it  began  to  give  way  before  the  combined  influences  of  the 
mission  and  foreign  residents,  and  the  more  enlightened 
efforts  of  the  native  population. 

“ Before  Cook’s  visit,  diseases  were  few  and  simple.  Sub- 
sequently they  increased  in  number  and  virulence,  while  the 
remedies  and  knowledge  necessaiy  for  arresting  them  re- 
mained unknown ; the  fatality  attending  novel  illness,  the 
prog  ress  of  which  they  knew  not  how  to  arrest,  produced  a 
deep  and  often  fatal  spirit  of  despondency. 

“ Alcohol  and  licentiousness  have  usually  been  considered 
the  most  aggi-avated  causes  of  depopulation  ; but  their  influ- 
ence has  been  exaggerated.  The  habits  of  the  natives  in 
both  respects  are  now  better  than  they  were  before  their 
discovery,  when  drunkenness,  produced  by  the  use  of  aim, 
and  promiscuous  intercourse  and  incest  were  almost  parts 
of  their  natures. 


24 


‘ A powerful  agent,  though  one  the  effects  of  which  have 
been  greatly  overlooked,  is  the  partial  adoption  of  foreign 
clothing.  This  may  seem  paradoxical ; but  unfortunately  it 
is  too  true.  * * Many  would  wear  their  clothes  but  part 

of  the  time,  and  then,  finding  them  inconvenient  from  extra 
heat  or  cold,  throw  them  aside  altogether.  The  utmost 
irregularity  prevailed,  not  only  from  poverty,  but  from  care- 
lessness and  from  ignorance  of  the  results.  * * Their 

constitutions,  already  enfeebled,  from  causes  before  men- 
tioned, could  ill  bear  such  treatment.  Colds  and  fevers 
greatly  increased,  and  of  a more  fatal  tendency.  Tmdal 
predispositions  to  disease  were  aggravated,  and  death  was 
the  frequent  result  of  attacks  which  the  slightest  prudence 
could  have  obviated. 

“Much  else  might  be  named,  which  would  cause  the 
philanthropist  less  to  wonder  why  they  decrease,  than  that 
it  should  have  been  so  slight  in  comparison  to  the  many 
causes  so  actively  at  work  to  create  it.  * * It  must  be 

remembered  that  these  causes  were  all  additional  to  those 
which  existed  prior  to  their  discovery,  and  which  were  of 
themselves  sufficiently  active  to  prevent  any  rapid  increase.” 

The  Hon.  R.  C.  Wyllie,  speaking  of  the  supposed  depopu- 
lation by  Syphilis,  says  : — “ There  no  doubt  has  been,  and,  I 
fear,  still  to  a great  extent  exists  a cause,  in  the  laxity  of 
native  morals,  why  that  disease  should  be  propagated  with 
unusual  universality,  and  that  veiy  cause  will  add  to  the 
effect  of  disease  in  preventing  offspring ; but  the  outward 
appearance  of  fat  and  health,  more  general  here  amongst  the 
natives  than  amongst  the  Indian  tribes  of  Mexico,  or  any 
country  in  South  America,  is  opposed  to  the  belief  of  such 
an  inward  rottenness  as  could  render  the  race  unprolific, 
without  the  influence  of  other  causes.”  The  opinion  of  a 
gentleman  of  such  eminent  intelligence  and  general  and 
medical  information  weighs  much. 

It  is  but  proper  that,  before  leaving  this  topic,  I refer  more 
particularly  to  Dr.  Chapin’s  articles,  especially  to  that  in 
The  Boston  Medical  and  Surgical  Jomiial,  Vol.  42,  No.  5, 


25 


where  a greater  potency  is  ascribed  to  the  venereal  than  I 
have  admitted.  He  maintains  the  syphilitic  origin  of  a large 
number  of  affections,  because  “mercurial  remedies”  alone 
effectually  reached  them ; and  upon  this  the  query  rises, 
whether  this  be  the  best  or  proper  test  for  the  diagnosis  of 
venereal.  But  though  his  diagnosis  be  both  admitted  and 
proved,  it  still  remains  to  be  established  that  the  lack  of 
fecundity  among  the  Ilawaiians,  as  compared  with  “ the 
lowest  class  of  Irish,  and  with  the  blacks  of  our  own  southern 
/States  (neither  of  whom  are  more  moral,  or  regular  in  their 
lives,  nor  more  temperate,  nor  better  fed),”  justifies  ns  in 
counting  Syphilis  “ the  most  prominent  cause  of  disease  at 
the  San.dwich  Islands.”  I trust  the  above  discussion  has 
gathered  light  on  the  subject. 

Having  thus  dismissed  the  consideration  of  Syjihilis,  I 
shall  not  find  a fitter  place  than  the  present  to  express  a 
thought  concerning  the  prophecy  of  the  extinction  of  the 
Hawaiian  race,  founded  on  the  ancient  canon  that  all  so- 
called  Indian  races  must  vanish  before  the  Anglo-Saxon. 
The  canon  is  based  on  an  unfair  and  unchristian  induction, 
which  involves  the  supposition  that  Anglo-Saxon  intercourse 
must  always  be  attended  by  those  Anglo-Saxon  immoralities 
which  have  been  the  real  destroyers,  and  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble in  any  instance  to  correct  the  effects  of  such  commerce. 
Whatever  shall  be  the  ultimate  fate  of  this  interesting  race, 
the  efforts  of  no  philanthropists  should  be  damped  by  un- 
founded predictions.  There  is  yet  hope  for  a small  remnant 
of  this  and  other  races  whicli  Anglo-Saxon  would-be- 
philosophers  have  destined  to  annihilation.  I again  quote 
from  IMr.  Jarvis,  the  able  and  impartial  histortan.  “ Their 
depopvdation  was  more  rapid,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained, 
in  the  reigns  of  Kamehameha  II.,  and  his  successor  Liholiho, 
than  at  a more  recent  period.  As  Christianity  and  civiliza- 
tion have  advanced,  in  just  that  proportion  has  this  mortality 
ceased.  Their  effects  are  of  too  recent  a nature  to  predict 
the  final  consequences,  but  it  may  be  confidently  expected, 
that  as  the  fatal  tendencies  are  counteracted,  and  others 


2G 


allowed  to  operate,  good  results  will  ensue.”  “ Evil  as  the 
most  active  principle  may  for  a while  riot  uncontrolled, 
counteracting  and  more  powerful  tendencies  are  at  work, 
whicli  must  eventually  neutralize  and  overcome  the  former.” 
Scrofula,  considered  apart  from  consumption,  is  reported 
as  one  of  the  frequent  causes  of  disease  among  the  native 
population.  Dr.  Judd  says  : — “ Scrofula  is  very  common  in 
the  various  forms  of  goitre,  ulcers,  tabes,  etc.”  Dr.  Chapin 
says  : — “ Scrofula  is  not  only  frequent,  but  extremely  malig- 
nant.” Its  cause  is  a little  obscure,  though  it  is,  perhaps, 
readily  enough  given,  if  we  use  the  general  language  which 
the  custom  of  medical  authorities  on  this  subject  allows  us. 
We  can,  without  difficulty,  enumerate  a number  of  debilitat- 
ing causes;  and  if,  with  Dr.  Alison,  we  limit  “ the  causes 
of  debility  ” to  those  “ acting  permanently,  or  habitually  for  a 
length  of  time,  although  not  so  powerfully  as  to  produce 
sudden  or  violent  effects,”  we  may  refer  to  their  miserable 
houses,  which  are  no  sufficient  protection  from  the  weather, 
and  in  which  they  sit  and  sleep  on  the  ground,  with  only  a 
mat  or  two  intervening.  It  is,  indeed,  their  universal  habit 
to  make  the  ground  their  seat,  which  is  everywhere  more  or 
less  damp.  Com.  Wilkes,  in  speaking  of  their  diseases,  says : — 
“ Many  of  them  are  brought  on  by  living  in  their  grass  houses, 
which  are  by  no  means  impervious  to  the  weather.  Another 
frequent  cause  is  the  partial  decomposition  of  the  grasses  with 
which  they  are  thatched  on  the  roof  and  sides.  In  passing  into 
them  I invariably  experienced  a smell  of  mustiness,  and  a 
mouldy  appearance  is  frequently  seen  about  their  mats  and 
tapas.”  Says  Mr.  Jarvis : — “ The  houses  of  the  common 
orders  were  mere  hovels,  made  of  straw,  thatched  ujion  a 
light  wooden  frame.  They  were  low,  small,  and  damp,  and 
generally  filthy  within  and  without.” 

Their  clothing,  too,  was  partial  and  insufficient.  The 
primitive  Hawaiian  costume,  which  is  now  rapidly  giving 
place  to  more  civilized  habits  of  dress,  was  prepared  of  the 
bark  of  trees,  and  consisted  of  a sheet  tied  at  two  corners 
and  thrown  over  the  shoulders,  with  another  narrow  strip 


27 


wound  round  the  loins  and  passing  between  the  legs — or,  for 
a female,  a long  piece  about  a yard  in  width,  wound  about 
the  lower  part  of  the  body  and  descending  to  the  knees, 
with,  perhaps,  a sort  of  shawl  of  the  same. 

Their  food,  too,  was  irregular,  often  “ bad  and  deficient,” 
and  always  principally  “ vegetable  food.”  If  these,  as  Mr. 
Philips  contends,  are  productive  of  scrofula,  we  certainly 
can  account  for  its  existence  among  these  islanders,  for  their 
food  was  almost  exclusively  vegetable,  being  preparations  of 
the  arum  esculent iam.  Fish  was  frecpiently  an  adjuvant,  but 
it  was  rather  an  occasional  than  constant  article  of  diet. 

But  the  question  arises,  how,  if,  indeed,  their  modes  of  dom- 
iciliation and  clothing  aud  dieting  be  efficient  producing 
causes,  did  they  once,  as  a nation,  thrive  with  comparatively 
little  scrofula,  though  their  houses  aud  modes  of  dress  and 
articles  of  food  were  essentially  the  same.  The  difficulty  is, 
I think,  satisfactorily  met  by  the  statements  regarding 
the  causes  of  depopulation  already  made.  Their  political 
conditions  for  long  years  rendered  their  preparations  of  food 
less  ample  and  timely,  their  houses  even  less  comfortable  and 
habitable,  and  their  clothing  less  complete  aud  protecting. 

Whether  marriages  between  different  races  tend,  as  is 
generally  supposed,  to  produce  the  scrofulous  diathesis,  the 
fact  is  interesting  that,  at  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  the  children 
of  alliances  between  the  natives  and  Chinese,  or  negroes,  or 
any  of  the  European  nations,  are  far  more  healthy,  and  are 
better  physically  developed  than  those  of  pure  Hawaiian 
blood.  This  may,  however,  only  be  because  the  indigenous 
race  is  so  far  exhausted  that  foreign  blood  is,  with  all  its 
disadvantages,  better  than  their  own ; or,  more  probably, 
because  such  descent  generally  receives  more  approjiriate 
aud  efficient  parental  care. 

Malarious  Diseases,  of  all  types,  are  rare,  il'  not  unknown — 
either  because  malaria  is  not  there  present,  or  because,  if 
generated,  it  is  so  cpiickly  dispersed. 

How  simple  aud  beautifully  circular  the  usual  process  of 
reasoning  on  this  subject!  Wherever  malarious  diseases 


28 


prevail,  there  certainly  malaria  is  present,  and  if,  in  investi- 
gating the  causes  of  disease,  we  inquire  for  malaria,  its 
absence  is  conclusively  shown  by  the  absence  of  recurring 
fevers,  even  though,  as  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  sheets  of 
stagnant  water  expose  their  surfaces  to  the  constant  action 
of  a tropic  sun,  and  though  the  inhabitants  build  their  houses 
on  embankments  in  the  midst  of  the  exhalations  (either 
malarious,  or  the  opposite),  which  must  constantly  rise. 

Their  “ taro  patches  ” are  artificial  ponds  of  water  in 
which  the  taro  is  planted.  These,  in  advantageous  locali- 
ties, are  crowded  very  closely  together,  and  present  very 
considerable  areas  of  water,  and  in  among  these  ponds  the 
natives  very  frequently  live,  enjoying  as  perfect  health  as 
elsewhere. 

This  might  be  urged  as  a proof  of  the  fallacy  of  the  mala- 
rious theory  of  periodic  fevers,  yet  without  much  force,  for 
even  if  it  he  proved  that  malaria  is  here  generated,  the  fact 
of  its  harmlessness  is  readily  explained  by  reference  to 
the  influence  of  the  winds,  which  are  felt  more  or  less 
constantly  and  directly  on  all  parts  of  the  groups.  On  this 
subject  Dr.  Chapin  makes  an  important  remark  : — “ It  might 
be  an  interesting  subject  of  inquiry,  which  I have  not  seen 
discussed,  why  the  islands  generally,  throughout  the  world, 
if  we  except  those  spots  covered  by  cities,  made  pestilential 
by  crowded  populations,  are  so  free  from  those  poisonous 
exhalations  which  abound  on  the  continents,  so  generally 
between  the  tropics,  and,  during  the  warm  weather,  over 
such  an  extent  of  the  temperate  zones,  especiallj^  along  the 
rivers.”  “ On  the  continents  are  large  marshes,  putrid  with^ 
vegetable  and  animal  decomposition,  draining  into  streams 
nearly  stagnant  from  the  sluggishness  of  their  courses,  whilst 
on  the  islands,  swamps  are  less  abundant,  and  the  streams 
are  short,  fresh,  and  rapid,  and  whatever  malaria  is  generated 
is  quickly  diluted,  and  borne  oft"  by  the  passing  sea  breezes, 
and  thus  rendered  innocuous.” 

But  we  may  even  question  whether  the  saine  bodies  of 
water  in  the  same  soil,  in  regions  remote  from  the  trades. 


29 


would  be  prolific  of  malaria ; for,  first,  the  ponds  are  every 
few  days  receiving  fresh  supplies  of  water ; and,  secondly,  the 
soil  is  not  that  which,  from  its  extreme  richness  in  vegetable 
matters,  would  be  supposed  able  to  part  with  much  that  is 
noxious ; and,  thirdly,  the  ponds  are  kept  almost  constantly 
full,  so  that  parts  once  moistened  are  kept  submerged. 
Besides  these  taro  patches,  the  few  possible  sources  of 
malaria  are  utterly  insignificant. 

“With  so  entii'e  an  exemption  from  the  existence  of 
miasmata,  there  is  also  an  entire  exemption  from  those  affec- 
tions induced  by  it.  Malignant  bilious  fevers  do  not  occur, 
and  * * * derangements  of  the  liver  and  biliary  organs  do 
not  prevail,  neither  are  the  stomach  and  intestinal  canal,  and 
other  organs  of  the  abdominal  viscera  subject  to  the  numer- 
ous and  complicated  aftections  so  common  in  every  miasmatic 
region.”  (Dr.  Chapin.) 

Yet  in  1803  or  1804,  a pestilence  raged  which  has  by  some 
been  supposed  to  liave  been  yellow  fever,  and  by  others, 
Asiatic  cholera.  “In  tlie  year  1804,  when  the  late  King 
Kamehameha  was  on  his  way  from  Hawaii  to  invade  Kauai, 
he  halted  with  an  army  of  eight  thousand  men  at  Oahu. 
The  yellow  fever  broke  out  among  the  troops,  and  in  the 
course  of  a few  days  swept  away  more  than  two-thirds  of 
them.”  (Journal  of  Tyerman  and  Bennet,  vol.  2.,  p.  48.) 
“ The  great  pestilence  of  1803  destroyed  multitudes,  and 
has  been  supposed  to  have  partaken  of  the  character  of  the 
Asiatic  cholera.”  (Jarvis’  History.)  Of  this  disease  we  can 
only  say,  that  it  probably  was  not  either  yellow  fever  or 
cholera. 

Other  forms  of  Fevers,  not  exanthematous,  though  “the 
most  frequent  and  numerous  class  of  diseases  among  the 
native  population,  are  by  no  means  the  most  malignant  and 
fatal.  * * * The  excitable  state  of  the  system  which  pre- 
disposes strongly  to  febrile  attacks,  is  not  common  at  these 
Islands.  The  continued  and  oppressive  heat  is  there  not 
sufficient  of  itself  to  produce  it,  and  the  universal  custom 
among  the  people,  to  repose  during  the  hottest  part  of  the 


30 


day,  aids  in  counteracting  other  unfavorable  influences.  The 
simplicity,  too,  of  their  diet  and  habits  of  life  is  not  calcu- 
lated to  promote  a state  of  excitability.”  (Dr.  Chapin.)  The 
fevers  are  apt,  I should  judge,  sometimes  to  take  on  the 
symptoms  generally  termed  typhoid,  though  malignant 
typlms  is  rarely  seen. 

Of  the  Exanthematous  Fevers  little  can  be  said,  save  that 
they  have  at  occasional  intei'vals  been  introduced.  The 
natives  seem  never  to  have  had  them  previous  to  the  dis- 
covery of  the  Islands,  and  their  insular  position  protected 
them  for  some  time  subsequently. 

In  1848,  the  Measles  in  some  unknown  way  made  its 
advent  among  the  unfortunate  islanders.  They  had  never 
before  seen  the  disease — the  symptoms  were  to  them  new 
and  singular.  It  was  difficult  to  impart  to  the  masses  the 
proper  mode  of  treatment,  and  they,  in  their  ignorance, 
during  its  eruptive  period,  under  the  disagreeable  sensations 
of  heat,  frequently  made  applications  of  or  immersed  them- 
selves in  cold  water,  making  it  tenfold  more  than  usually 
fatal. 

Small-pox  has  never  spread  among  the  people,  and  should 
it  now  arrive  they  are  probably  quite  well  prepared  for  it 
by  vaccination.* 

In  1839,  Mumps  were  introduced  (though  I violate  order 


* 111  May,  1853,  the  small-pox  appeared  for  the  first  time  oa  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  it  spread  with  fearful  rapidity  and  unprecedented  mortality,  about 
G,000  of  the  unfortunate  victims  of  the  disease,  ot  eight  per  cent,  of  the  erdire  popu- 
lation, having  been  swept  oft'  in  the  space  of  eight  months. 

The  malady  is  believed  to  have  originated  on  the  Island.?  from  fomites,  that 
had  been  convoyed  from  San  Francisco  to  Honolulu  in  a chest  of  cast-oflT 
clothing.  As  the  disease  extended  in  Honolulu  and  its  vicinity,  the  natives 
became  panic-stricken,  and  fled  in  wild  confusion  and  alarm  to  remote  districts 
of  that  Island  (Oahu),  and  to  the  other  Islands  ; thus  unhappily  conveying  the 
pestilential  infection  throughout  the  entire  group  of  Islands,  and  to  almost 
every  community.  The  disease  was  of  the  gravest  type,  and  was  manifestly 
rendered  thus  by  a most  marked  variolous  epidemic  constitution. 

I have  deemed  it  important  to  add  to  this  valuable  essay  of  my  friend.  Dr. 
Gulick,  the  above  brief  notice  of  the  most  terrific  and  fatal  epidemic  of  variola 
that  has  ever  been  recorded.  Elisha  Harris. 


31 


in  noticing  it  here),  and  “prevailed  very  generally,  and  in 
some  cases  terminated  fatally  through  mismanagment,” 
Rheumatism  is  a frecpient  malady  among  the  islanders,  as  a 
consequence  of  their  irregular  life  and  extreme  imprudence 
in  spending  their  nights  on  the  ground,  and  of  “their  habits 
of  continuing  long  in  tlie  water  and  exposing  their  bare 
bodies  to  strong  currents  of  wind,  when  overcome  with  heat 
and  covered  with  perspiration.” 

Dr.  Chapin  speaks  of  its  “very  frequent  occurrence,  not- 
withstanding the  very  prevalent  belief  that  it  is  almost 
peculiarly  a disease  of  cold  and  variable  climates,  and  is 
rarely  met  with  in  warm  and  uniform  climates.”  He 
remarks  with  great  justness  that — “ The  constitution 
becomes  so  impressible  in  warm  climates,  that  very  slight 
variations  in  the  atmosphere  are  as  severely  felt  as  the 
greatest  changes  \vith  us.”  And  from  this  prevalence  at 
the  Sandwich  Islands  he  infers  its  presence  “at  the  adja- 
cent islands,  and  at  all  places  throughout  the  inter-tropic 
regions,  where  the  same  exciting  causes  exist.”  At  these 
islands  “the  disease  is  usually  mild  in  its  attacks,  soon 
passes  off,  even  without  the  application  of  medicinal  means, 
and  is  seldom  followed  by  severe  secondary  effects.” 

Primary  derangements  of  the  Nervous  System  constitute 
but  a very  small  part  of  their  diseases.  lusanitij,  as  might 
be  expected  from  their  quiet,  simple  mode  of  life,  is  not 
frequent.  Among  the  females.  Hysterical  tendencies  are  not 
marked.  Chorea  is  occasionally  met  with.  Paralysis  is  more 
frequent,  and  Dr.  Lafon  attributes  it  to  their  long-continued 
sitting  and  sleeping  on  the  damp  ground,  by  which,  not 
only  their  fibrous,  but  their  nervous  tissues  are  affected. 

Pulmonary  Affections  are  frequent  and  important.  In  an 
address  before  the  Royal  Hawaiian  Agricultural  Society, 
the  Hon.  Luther  Severance  says : — “If  every  native  would 
wear  a woolen  shirt,  and  sleep  at  night  under  a woolen 
blanket,  I think  there  would  be  less  of  asthma  and  other 
affections  of  the  lungs,  induced  as  these  diseases  probably 
are  by  exposure  to  the  strong  winds,  while  the  pores  of  the 


32 


skin  are  opened  by  profuse  perspiration.”  ( Transactiom  of 
the  R.  H.  A.  Society,  Vol.  1,  p.  2.) 

Chronic  Bronchitis  is  so  frequent  and  universal  among  the 
Hawaiians  as  hardly  to  receive  attention.  The  mucous 
surface  of  their  lungs  seems  to  be  peculiarly  susceptible  to 
external  influences.  Dr.  Lafon,  speaking  of  the  “day-break 
jjrayer-meetings,”  says  that  for  the  first  twenty  minutes  it 
was  generally  scarcely  possible  to  proceed  with  the  religious 
exercises,  from  the  incessant  coughing  of  the  congregation. 
It  was  as  though  each  one  was  under  the  necessity  of 
expectorating  a certain  amount  of  mucus  before  respiration 
could  be  comfortably  carried  on.  The  causes  are  evidently 
those  already  so  frequently  mentioned — their  unhealthy 
exposures  both  within  and  without  doors. 

Catarrhs  are  of  course  to  be  expected,  though  mild,  and 
generally  the  result  of  exposures  and  sudden  alternations  of 
temperature.  Dr.  Judd  remarks : — “ The  Influenza  (epidemic 
catarrh)  usually  prevails  every  spring.”  Dr.  Chapin  speaks 
of  them  as  “ usually  mild  in  their  character,  ephemeral  in 
their  existence ; they  easily  yield  to  immediate  applications 
and  rarely  pass  into  the  more  inveterate  and  fatal  stages  of 
pulmonic  disease.”  Some,  however,  of  these  epidemics  are 
much  more  serious,  and  their  effects  remain  long  after  their 
departure.  About  four  years  since  (1846)  an  epidemic  of 
this  kind  prevailed  over  the  group  and  was  in  some  cases 
fatal,  from  untoward  complications  and  bad  management. 
And  again  in  1S48-9  another  epidemic  arrived  as  a suc- 
cessor upon  the  measles,  and  w'as  more  than  usually  fatal. 
It  would  be  of  some  interest  to  ascertain  whether  these 
influenzas  have  any  relation  to  the  direction  of  the  winds, 
or,  as  has  been  suggested,  to  volcanic  exhalations.  The 
remote  position  of  the  group  is  very  favorable  for  the 
investigation  of  the  causes  of  disease,  especially  of  the 
mooted  questions  regarding  the  contagious  and  epidemic 
character  of  maladies. 

Asthmas  are  enumerated  by  writers  among  the  diseases  of  the 
Sandwich  islanders ; but  the  term  is  used  so  indefinitely  that 


33 


little  can  be  learned  from  the  statement.  Dr.  Judd,  speaking 
of  the  annoyance  from  dust,  says: — “ It  is,  no  doubt,  a very 
efficient  cause  of  the  frequent  occurrence  of  asthma  among 
the  natives.”  Dr.  Chapin  mentions,  as  a cause  of  asthma, 
“a  habit,  among  the  chiefs  and  wealthier  portion  of  the 
common  people,  of  inordinate  eating,  amounting  even  to 
gluttony,”  when  “their  capacious  stomachs  are  distended 
not  less  than  four  or  five  times  a day  with  truly  surprising 
quantities  of  fish  and  poi.” 

Fncumonia  and  Pleurisy  are  mentioned : they  cannot, 
however,  be  called  zymotic  diseases — they  are,  rather,  acci- 
dental. 

Croup  among  the  natives  is  usually  fatal.  Dr.  Chapin 
mentions  its  having  prevailed  epidemically  once  during  his 
residence  there.  “ Iloapili-wahine,  a chief  woman  of  high 
rank,  upwards  of  seventy  years  of  age,  died  of  this  disease 
in  January,  1842.”  (Jarvis.) 

Whooping  Cough  has  been  once  prevalent,  but  soon  dis- 
appeared. 

Phthisis  Puhnonalis  is  a very  rare  disease  at  the  Hawaiian 
Islands.  Dr.  Judd  says: — “This  comparative  e.xemption  of 
a population — which  is  allowed  on  all  hands  to  be  fast 
wasting  away — from  one  of  the  most  fatal  diseases  of  the 
United  States  and  England,  affords  evidence  that  the  climate 
is  unfavorable  to  it.” 

An  investigation  of  the  causes  of  their  entire  exemption 
from  pulmonary  tuberculosis  is  one  of  much  interest,  espe- 
cially if  that  disease  is  to  be  considered  as  dependent  upon 
the  scrofulous  diathesis.  The  uniformity  of  temperature 
is  certainly  favorable,  but  why  are  not  the  producers  of  the 
other  varieties  of  scrofula  productive  also  of  this  ? Is  it 
that,  for  the  development  of  phthisical  scrofulosis,  a close 
impurity  of  air  is  generally  essential,  by  its  immediate  inter- 
ference with  respiration,  and  so,  as  it  were,  by  centering  upon 
the  lungs  in  a primary  degree  the  development  of  the  scro- 
fulous diathesis ; while,  if  the  glandular  system  be  most 
impeded  in  the  performance  of  its  functions,  through  and 
3 


34 


upon  it  will  the  diathesis  be  principally  exhibited  in  specific 
scrofula?  If  this  be  accepted,  the  out-door  lives  which  the 
Sandwich  islanders  live  may  be  supposed  to  preserve  them 
from  that  imperfect  I'espiration,  and  so,  from  consumption, 
notwithstanding  the  untoward  efiects  of  many  of  their  other 
habits,  while  the  glandular  system  succumbs  before  the 
ready  waiting  enemy,  incapable  of  receiving  such  relief  and 
palliation  of  evil  from  fresh  air,  and  even  from  that  very 
exposure  being  made  still  more  liable. 

Foreign  residents  are  comjjletely  exempted  from  such 
tendencies.  Several  members  of  the  mission  have  entered 
the  field  with  pulmonary  affections,  who  were  regarded  as 
doomed  to  certain  and  premature  death  if  they  remained  in 
this  country  (the  United  States),  who  now  enjoy  good 
health,  and  are  entirely  free  from  any  abiding  symptoms  of 
disordered  lungs.”  (Dr.  Chapin.) 

The  remarks  previously  made,  regarding  the  adaptation  of 
the  Hawaiian  climate  to  persons  of  phthisical  tendencies, 
are  applicable  here.  The  entire  absence  of  Phthisis  among 
the  foreign  and  native  inhabitants,  with  the  mentioned 
instances  of  cure  effected  by  a residence  there,  confirm  the 
anticipations  we  might  found  on  the  mild  uniformity  of  the 
climate. 

There  is  one  disadvantage,  however,  mentioned  by  Com. 
Wilkes,  namely,  “the  great  difference  in  the  degree  of 
moisture  which  exists  within  a few  miles.”  This  must  be 
acknowledged  a drawback,  and  though  localities  may  be 
fixed  on,  enjoying  proper  mediums  of  moisture  and  heat,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  confine  a patient  closely  to  them.  But 
let  me  suggest  that  the  mere  fact  of  considerable  moisture 
is  not  conclusive  against  a place  as  a residence  for  con- 
sumptives, especially  if  it  fall,  as  it  does  at  these  Islands, 
during  the  summer  season,  in  brisk  refreshing  showers, 
followed  by  beautiful  sunshine,  and  lea^^ng  all  nature 
revived  and  invigorated. 

I repeat,  that  the  Sandwich  Islands  will,  as  facilities  of 
travel  increase,  become  one  of  the  places  of  resort  for 


35 


invalids,  especially  during  the  summer  season;  for  the 
beauty,  grandeur,  variety  and  novelty  of  the  scenery  will 
alone  be  a potent  attractive,  and  the  journeyings  to  enjoy 
it  be  efficient  remedial  agents. 

Derangements  of  the  functions  of  the  alimentary  canal  are 
numerous,  and  frequently  fatal  among  the  islanders.  Their 
irregularities  in  diet,  with  their  habitual  violation  of  all  pru- 
dential laws,  are  causes  sufficiently  comprehensive. 

Diarrhoea  and  Dysentery  are  common.  “ Beside  the  usual 
exciting  causes  which  prevail  in  most  places,  they  have  an 
additional  fruitful  source,  in  a blind  and  barbarous  practice 
of  using  immoderately  the  most  powerful  and  drastic  cathar- 
tics. I have  known  a case  in  which  the  average  operations 
of  four  cathartics,  given  to  disperse  dropsy,  were  twenty- 
one,  the  aggregate  eiglity-four ; and  another  case  in  which 
a man,  from  a fear  that  he  would  be  sick,  took  such  an  enor- 
mous dose  of  the  calebash,  as  to  produce  a hemorrhagy, 
which  proved  fatal  within  a few  hours.”  (Chapin.) 

Hepatitis,  with  all  the  other  aftections  of  the  liver,  are 
seldom  met.  The  climate  seems  to  be  proof  against  that 
monster  of  civilized  life — “the  liver  complaint”!!  This 
exemption  extends  to  all  who  reside  there.  “The  frequent 
occuiTence  in  hot  climates,  is  ascribed  by  Dr.  Saunders  and 
others  to  the  prevalence  of  a peculiar  miasm  in  those 
regions,  and  if  this  be  true,  hepatitis  will  not  be  expected  to 
predominate  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  there  is  no  evi- 
dence of  any  miasm  whatever.  Indeed,  hepatic  disorders 
are  not  merely  uncommon  there,  but  they  do  not  appear  to 
be  incident  to  those  seas.  The  Pacific  is  thronged  with 
American  and  English  whaling  vessels,  which  cruise  from 
three  to  four  years,  and,  as  they  change  their  ground  to  the 
north  and  south  of  the  equator,  with  the  change  of  the  sea- 
sons they  are  continually  exposed  to  the  hottest  latitudes, 
and  are  much  of  the  time  in  the  torrid  zone.  Of  these  a 
large  number  touch  semi-annually  at  the  Islands  for  supplies, 
and  though  my  practice  among  the  seamen  has  been  exten- 
sive, I have  been  called  to  prescribe  for  only  two  or  three 


36 


cases  of  inflammation  of  the  livei’,  and  in  no  instance  have  I 
met  with  the  disease  in  its  acute  form.  The  heat  to  which 
the  sailors  are  subjected,  during  calms  at  sea,  is  often  intense; 
and  if  the  existence  of  hepatic  disorders  is  owing  mainly  to 
the  close  sympathy  between  the  biliary  and  respiratoiy 
organs,  the  etiology  proposed  by  Dr.  Johnson,  I certainly 
ought  to  have  met  oftener  with  it.  * * Two  or  three  gentle- 
men of  the  mission,  who  had  chronic  diseases  of  the  liver 
when  they  went  to  the  Islands,  have  not  only  spent  several 
years  without  any  exacerbation,  but  one  of  them  is  quite 
relieved  from  the  complaint.”  (Chapin.) 

“ Worms  in  the  intestinal  canal  are  not,  so  far  as  my  obser- 
vation has  extended,  of  usual  occurrence.  The  children  of 
the  mission,  who  numbered  more  than  sixty,  were  entirely 
exempt,  and  no  case  of  the  existence  of  worms  among  the 
native  population  came  to  my  knowledge.  One  individual,- 
a native  of  this  country,  who  had  been  for  several  years  a 
resident  of  the  Islands,  was  affected  with  ascarides,  and  this 
was  the  only  case  I met  with.”  (Dr.  Chapin.) 

Diseases  of  the  Eye  are  frequent.  Blindness  is  not  un- 
common. “Ophthalmia,  of  the  purulent  form,  abounds  in 
every  portion  of  the  group,  and  opaque  corneas  and  thick- 
ened coats  of  the  eyes  are  very  numerous.  The  old  and 
the  young  are  alike  affected  with  this  disease ; very  small 
children  are  occasionally  met  with  nearly  blind  with  its 
effects.  I at  one  time  attributed  its  prevalence  to  the  effects 
of  the  clouds  of  sand,  often  raised  and  blown  about  with 
great  violence  by  the  trade-winds ; but  finding  it  equally 
common  in  those  districts  where  frequent  rains  prevent  the 
dust  from  ever  rising,  there  appeared  to  be  no  other  cause  so 
active  as  the  trade-winds,  which  come  mingled  with  salt 
spray.”  (Di’.  Chapin.) 

Cutaneous  Diseases  are  said  to  be  numerous,  though  the 
names  of  varieties  are  not  mentioned,  except  those  of  “ sca- 
bies," and  a disease  called  poiqwu,"  spoken  of  by  Com. 
Wilkes.  “ Though  the  Sandwich  islanders  are  remarkably 
fond  of  the  water,  and  are  fastidiously  particular  in  their  prac- 


37 


tices  of  washing  and  bathing,  they  are,  nevertheless,  ex- 
tremely filthy  and  squalid  in  many  of  their  habits  of  life. 
With  their  beasts  and  fowls  in  the  same  habitation,  and  not 
unfrequently  on  the  same  mats  with  themselves,  their  often- 
repeated  ablutions  will  he  regarded  as  timely.  The  kapa, 
or  native  cloth,  used  by  the  inhabitants,  is  worn  without 
cleansing,  till,  having  become  foul  with  vermin  and  dirt,  and 
too  ragged  to  serve  longer  the  purposes  of  covering  or  pro- 
tection, it  is  lain  aside.  Hence  diseases,  induced  or  exacer- 
bated by  such  causes,  have  at  those  Islands  a fruitful  soil, 
and  flourish  luxuriantly.  The  itch  is  extremely  prevalent, 
and  often  assumes  a virulence  unseen  in  this  country.  The 
pustules  sometimes,  becoming  confluent,  are  converted  into 
large  and  troublesome  ulcers.”  (Dr.  Chapin.)  These  de- 
tails regarding  their  clothing  apply  rather  to  the  past  than 
the  present — yet  they  are,  no  doubt,  still  too  true. 

From  the  Hon.  Mr.  Wyllie’s  “notes”  I quote  the  follow- 
ing:— “In  a valuable  manuscript  paper  of  Dr.  Rooke’s,  to 
which  I have  had  access,  he  adds  Puerperal  Fever  as  Very 
common  and  very  fatal.  Excepting  that  disease,  apoplexy, 
croup,  and  dropsy,  the  others  are  stated  to  be  generally 
mild,  yielding  easily  to  proper  care  and  medical  treatment.” 

The  Therapeutic  Constitution  of  the  Hawaiians  is  not,  so 
far  as  I can  learn,  peculiar,  save  that  their  systems  seem  not 
as  susceptible  as  ours  to  influences  of  a morbific  or  remedial 
character.  Their  life  seems  not  of  so  high  a grade  as  ours. 
Their  nervous  systems  are  not  as  fully  developed,  and  are 
with  greater  difticulty  impressed  by  external  influences.  It 
it  this  fact  which,  I think,  accounts  for  their  being  able  to 
exist,  undermined  as  their  constitution  has  been,  and  adhering 
to  modes  of  living  which  would  prove  rapidly  fatal  to  the 
same  number  of  the  most  robust  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race ; 
for  it  will  be  remembered,  that  their  lives  of  exposure  are 
very  different  from  those  exposures  connected  with  the 
incessant  activity  and  vigilance  incident  to  journeys  and 
heroic  exploits,  which  may  ever  be  encountered  with 
impunity. 


38 


THE  MATERIA  MEDICA  OF  THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS. 

This  portion  of  my  essay  is  meagre.  It  is  with  difficulty 
I have  collected  that  which  I give.  How  desirable  that  men 
of  medical  intelligence  should  investigate  and  report  on  this 
and  the  several  other  points  of  interest  connected  with  the 
climate  and  diseases  of  Polynesia. 

I will  first  notice  such  of  the  Materia  IMedica  and  remedial 
practices,  originally  employed  by  native  Hawaiians,  as  I am 
informed  of,  and  will  then  enumerate  those  other  indigen- 
ous Materia  Medica,  not,  so  far  as  I am  aware,  included  in 
the  native  Hawaiian  Dispensary ; and  will  thirdly  notice  such 
medicinal  vegetables  as  have  been  introduced  since  the 
discovery  of  the  Islands,  enumerating  both  the  unofficinal  and 
officinal. 

And  first — To  pass  unnoticed  the  Materia  Medica  of  a 
savage  people,  simply  because  employed  by  savages,  is 
unreasonable  and  impolitic ; for,  have  not  all  medicines  been 
first  employed  empirically — has  not  our  science  been  built 
up  from  empiricism — and  have  not  the  great  body  of  our 
vegetable  Materia  Medica  been  first  used  by  ignorant  and 
even  savage  empirics  ? Might  it  not  be  possible,  by  a com- 
plete canvassing,  to  learn  something  even  from  Hawaiian 
empiricism? 

The  Arum  escidcntium  is  a plant  very  nearly  allied  to  the 
arum  maculatum  and  arum  tryphillium  in  all  its  external 
habits  and  properties,  and  probably,  like  them,  possesses  a 
“property  of  stimulating  the  secretions,  particularly  those 
of  the  skin  and  lungs.”  (U.  S.  Dispensatory.)  It  is  the 
principal  article  of  diet  among  the  Hawaiians.  The  heat  of 
the  oven  dispels  its  peculiar  acrid  pi’inciple  and  renders  it  a 
very  nutritious  and  valuable  article  of  diet,  had  in  great 
esteem  by  foreigners,  but  especially  by  the  natives.  The 
acridity  is  probably  reduced  by  cultivation,  but  a very 
considerable  portion  of  it  is  still  retained.  Says  Dr.  Chapin : 
— “ It  is,  when  raw,  very  styptic  and  acrid,  and  the  skin  of 
the  root  is  used  by  the  natives  in  the  cure  of  dysenteries 
and  intestinal  haemorrhages.” 


39 


The  CiicurUta  lagenaria,  or  gourd,  is  used  as  a purgative. 
It  is,  in  its  medical  properties,  allied  to  several  of  the  cucur- 
bitacae,  particularly  to  the  cucumis  colocynthis.  “ The 
pulp  of  the  root  is  used,”  says  Dr.  Chapin,  “ and  in  large  doses 
it  is  terribly  drastic.  The  inordinate  doses  given  by  the 
natives  sometimes  produce  dysentery,  rapidly  fatal.”  Dr. 
Judd  relates  the  case  of  a woman  purged  to  death  with  this 
article  by  a native  physician  for  an  imagined  disease.  “ About 
four  feet  of  the  green  running  vine  of  the  bitter  calabash,  or 
gourd,  thirty-two  of  the  hollow  stems  which  support  the 
leaves,  and  about  one  ounce  of  the  dry  pulp,  next  the  shell, 
of  the  dried  gourd  were  pounded  together  on  a board  and 
the  juice  mixed  with  about  three  pints  of  water.”  “It  is 
used  by  them  successfully  in  dropsies.  I once  knew  a 
native,  with  abdominal  dropsy,  cured  by  one  of  his  own 
physicians  with  this  article,  after  he  had  been  treated 
unsuccessfully  by  foreign  skill.”  (Dr.  Chapin.) 

A variety  of  Ipomca  is  mentioned  Ijy  Dr.  Chapin.  “ The 
roots  are  used  by  the  natives  as  an  eraetico-cathartic.  I 
tried  it  somewliat,  and  found  it  had  efficacy ; but  the  doses 
re([uisite  were  so  large  and  the  trouble  of  preparing  it  such, 
I abandoned  it.”  I am  utterly  unable  to  give  the  specific 
title.  It  is  questionable  whether  its  medical  powers  have 
been  fully  ascertained. 

The  Aleurites  triloba,  or  candle-nut,  is  one  of  the  articles 
of  the  Hawaiian  Dispensary.  “ The  kernels  of  these  are 
stuck,  one  over  another,  like  beads,  upon  a fibre  of  cocoa-nut 
leaf,  a foot  long,  and,  containing  a considerable  proportion 
of  inflammable  oil,  they  give  sufficient  light  for  ordinary 
purposes,  the  flame  communicating  downward  till  the  last 
piece  is  consumed.  Sometimes  five  or  six  such  strings,  two 
yards  in  length,  are  wrapped  together  in  a leaf  of  banana, 
and  carried  before  the  king,  as  flambeaux,  when  he  travels 
by  night.”  (Tyennan  and  Bennet’s  Journal.)  Dr.  Chapin 
remarks : — “ I know  it  to  be  used  as  a cathartic,  but  never 
experimented  with  it  myself.”  An  oil  extracted  from  this 
nut  forms  an  article  of  export  for  painting — may  it  not  have 
available  medicinal  properties  ? 


40 


The  P^per  metliysticum,  called  “am”  by  the  Hawaiians, 
is  one  of  the  most  important  of  their  indigenous  Materia 
Medica.  From  it  they  prepared  a narcotic  drink,  esteemed 
throughout  Polynesia.  The  bark  of  its  stem  is  possessed 
of  the  peculiar  properties  of  the  plant,  but  it  is  the  root 
which  was  principally  used  by  them.  “They  prepared 
it  for  use  by  mastication.  A person  chews  it  thoroughly, 
and  ejects  it  with  the  accumulated  saliva  into  a dish,  in 
which  state  it  is  drunk  by  the  patient.  Most  of  their  medi- 
cines they  prepare  in  the  same  manner.”  In  continuation. 
Dr.  Chapin  says  to  the  author: — “I  supposed  it  might  be 
serviceable  as  an  anodyne  : I gave  it  repeatedly  in  powder. 
It  did  not  seem  to  possess  narcotic  properties,  and  after  a 
number  of  trials  with  it  I gave  it  up.  The  natives,  as  they 
said,  used  it  to  cure  cutaneous  diseases,  by  producing  desqua- 
mation of  the  cuticle.  They  give  it  daily  in  such  quantities 
as  at  length  to  accomplish  the  object.  I think  the  article 
deserves  further  trial.”  Mr.  Bingham  informs  me  that  “ the 
juice  is  highly  valued,  and  was  much  used  both  as  a luxuiy 
and  as  a medicine,  as  alcohol  still  is  in  wiser  countries.  A 
singular  eftect  of  taking  a course  of  ava  was  the  cracking 
and  coming  off  of  the  cuticle  over  the  whole  body  of  the 
patient,  with  which,  it  was  maintained,  the  system  parted 
with  maladies.”  Mr.  Jarvis  says  : — “ Its  effects  were  very 
pernicious,  covering  the  body  with  a white  scurf,  * * # 

inflaming  the  eyes  and  causing  premature  decrepitude.  It 
was  also  taken  as  a medicine,  and  was  supposed  to  be  an 
effectual  remedy  for  corpulence.”  Mr.  Ellis  speaks  of  the 
“ burning  effect  and  unpleasant  taste  of  the  ava.”  A few 
years  since,  a gentleman,  long  a resident  of  the  Islands, 
proposed  exporting  it  to  the  United  States,  and  there  manu- 
facturing of  it  some  nostrum — which  might,  no  doubt,  have 
become  as  popular  as  Townsend’s  Sarsaparilla  ! Its  medici- 
nal properties  are,  perhaps,  allied  to  those  of  the  Piper 
augustifolium,  or  Matico,  of  which  the  U.  S.  Dispensatory 
says: — “Its  most  useful  internal  application  is,  probably,  as 
an  alterative  stimulant  to  the  diseased  mucous  membranes.” 


41 


The  Dispensatory  refers  to  an  article  by  Mr.  Morson,  on  the 
Am,  in  The  Pharm.  Journal  and  Transactions,  Vol.  3,  p.  472, 
which  I have  not  been  able  to  obtain. 

The  Vapor  of  Hot  Water  was,  it  seems,  employed  by  tlie 
Hawaiians,  and  though  a practice  not  peculiarly  their  own, 
the  mode  of  administration,  as  related  by  Dr.  Chapin,  may 
amu^e  and  instruct.  “Prolapsus  uteri  they  relieved  by 
steaming  over  heated  stringent  herbs.  Febrile  diseases, 
rheumatisms,  and  many  others,  were  treated  by  steaming. 
The  patient  was  wrapped  in  green  leaves,  freshly  picked, 
and  laid  on  a bed  of  heated  stones.  If  he  writhed  under  the 
intensity  of  the  heat  he  was  held  still  by  attendants.  If  he 
died,  the  doctor  and  all  ran  away!”  How  striking  the 
similitude  between  the  Hawaiian  and  the  Amencan  quack, 
both  in  the  mode  of  practice  and  in  manner  of  escape  I 

But  their  characteristic  mode  of  alleviating  pain  is  the 
Lomilomi — a systematic  kneading,  and  pressing,  and  squeez- 
ing, and  rubbing,  employed  in  all  cases  of  fatigue  or  pain, 
where  not  intolerable.  To  appreciate  fully  the  virtues  of 
the  practice,  one  must  himself  be  operated  on  by  a practical 
Hawaiian.  It  is,  in  many  cases,  most  admirable.  “People 
were  especially  trained  to  lomilomi;  a kind  of  luxurious 
kneading  or  shampooing,  and  stretching,  and  cracking  the 
joints,  which  seemed  completely  to  renovate  the  system, 
when  suffering  either  from  a surfeit  or  fatigue.  The  fatter 
the  chiefs,  tlie  more  they  required  the  operation.”  “ The 
most  delightful  of  the  traveler’s  comforts  is  the  lomilomi. 
It  is  something  between  a squeeze  and  a pinch,  which  none 
but  a native  knows  how  to  perform  ; commencing  gently, 
and  increasing  in  violence  as  they  proceed,  every  limb  in  the 
body  is  subjected  to  this  treatment.  It  is,  as  a friend  terms 
it,  a physical  regeneration.  (Jarvis.) 

A few  articles  of  our  Materia  Medica,  though  not  employed 
by  the  Hawaiian  practitioner,  are  found  indigenous  upon  the 
Islands,  and  should  be  mentioned.  The  number  might,  no 
doubt,  be  extended. 

Lime  (calx)  is  readily  prepared  by  the  calcination  of  coral. 


42 


ISlitre  (potassffi  nitras),  of  which  J.  G.  Sawkins  remarks, 
it  “ is  not  found  pure,  so  far  as  I can  learn,  on  this  group.” 
{Agricultural  Report,  Vol.  1,  No.  2.) 

Sulphur,  from  about  the  crater  of  Kilanea. 

Common  Salt  (sodii  chloridum)  is  manufactured  in  con- 
siderable quantities  from  the  ocean,  and  is  also  collected 
from  the  salt  lake  of  Alia-pachai.  During  the  year  ending 
June  30th,  1851,  5,332^-  barrels  of  salt  were  exported.  Mr. 
Sawkins  remarks  of  the  Island  salt,  that  it  is  “rarely  pure, 
on  account  of  the  sulphurous  gases  of  the  neighboring  active 
volcanoes.” 

Glauber's  Salt  (sodae  sulphat.)  is  found  at  Kilanea,  and  has 
been  occasionally  used. 

Sponges  (spongia  officinalis).  They  are,  however,  a v^r}' 
coarse,  inferior  article. 

The  Sorrel  (rumex  acetosa). 

Arrow-root  (tacca  oceanica).  From  July  1st,  1850,  to 
June  30th,  1851,  inclusive,  16,780  pounds  of  prepared 
Arrow-root  were  exported.  I extract  the  following  from 
The  United  States  Dispensatory : — “ A variety  of  AiTow-root 
has  been  imported  from  the  Sandwich  Islands.  It  was  sup- 
posed to  be  procured  from  the  root  of  Tacca  pinnatifida, 
which  grows  abundantly  in  Tahiti  and  other  islands  of  the 
South  Pacific  ; hut  Mr.  Nuttall,  during  his  visit  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  found  that  it  was  the  product  of  another 
species  of  Tacco,  which  he  describes  under  the  name  of  Tacca 
oceanica.  {Am.  Jo^lrnal  of  Pharmacy,  ix.,  305.)  It  is  said  that 
a similar  product  is  obtained  from  Tacca  pinnatifida,  growing 
in  the  East  India  province  of  Arracan.” 

The  Sugar  Cane  (saccharum)  is  by  far  the  most  important 
of  the  indigenous  Materia  Medica,  in  a commercial  aspect. 
The  manufactured  Sugar  which  was  exported,  amounted  in 
1849  to  653,820  pounds,  and  in  1850  to  750,238  pounds. 
The  exported  Molasses  (sacchari  fiex)  amounted  in  1849  to 
41,235  gallons,  and  in  1850  to  53,855  gallons. 

A large  number  of  the  “ Flora  Medica”  have  been  intro- 
duced since  the  discovery  of  the  group.  Quite  a number  of 


43 


them  are  thoroughly  naturalized ; and  some  are  already  of 
great  importance  among  the  exports,  though  in  every  such 
instance  the  article  is  not  only  a medicine,  hut  also  a food. 
Without  question,  the  Sandwich  Islands  will  yet  produce 
for  export  many  of  the  Materia  Medica  proper.  From  the 
paucity  of  my  facts,  I can  do  little  more  than  give  a mere 
list  of  these  introductions,  and  even  this  will  he  defective. 

I will  first  mention  the  unoficinal  articles. 

Coffee  (coffea  arahica).  This  was  first  permanently  intro- 
duced hy  Lord  Byron  in  1828.  In  1849,  28,231  pounds 
of  coffee  were  exported,  and  in  18-59,  208,428  pounds. 
(Cheever’s  Sandwich  Islands.)  It  is  of  an  excellent  quality. 

Indigo  (indigofera).  In  many  parts  of  the  Islands  it  now 
grows  wild.  From  experiments  made  hy  the  writer  many 
years  since,  the  Sandwich  Islands  indigo  may  he  pronounced 
a good  variety — prohahly  quite  as  good,  in  its  medicinal  and 
economical  and  manufacturing  properties,  as  any  in  the 
markets  of  the  woi  ld. 

The  Touch-mcSot  (impatiens  noli-me-tangere)  grows 
luxuriantly. 

Onions  (capa).  They  are  greatly  relished  hy  the  natives 
as  a condiment,  and  are  raised  hy  them  in  considerahle 
quantities.  During  the  year  ending  June  30,  1851,  3,759 
barrels  were  exported. 

The  Irish  Fotatoe  (solanum  tuherosum).  Of  these  there 
were  exported,  in  1849,  858  barrels,  and  in  1850,  51,957 
barrels. 

Indian  Corn,  or  Maize  (zea  mays)  grows  well ; is  not  exten- 
sively raised.  During  the  year  ending  June  30,  1851,  five 
barrels  were  exported. 

Indian  Ituhbcr,  or  Caoutchouc  (sjqihonia  cahuchu,  or  S. 
elastica).  A very  useful  tree,  which  it  is  to  he  hoped  will 
he  rapidly  multiplied  on  tlie  Islands. 

Rice  (oriza  sativa).  As  yet  it  is  only  raised  experimentally, 
hut  it  may  hecoine  an  important  production. 

The  Fumphin  (cucurhita  pepo).  The  Muskmclon  (cucuinis 
melo).  The  Cucumber  (cucumis  sativus). 


44 


Of  officinal  plants,  the  following  imperfect  list  will  sei’ve 
our  purpose  of  exhibiting  the  admirable  adaptation  of  the 
soil  and  climate  to  the  production  of  many  choice  articles, 
and  of  indicating  how  independent  of  other  countries,  as  to 
their  Materia  Medica,  these  Islands  }nay  become. 

The  Castor  Oil  (ricinus  communis).  This  may  be  said 
to  be  effectually  naturalized.  In  many  places  it  grows, 
becoming  a perennial.  As  yet  no  considerable  use  is  made 
of  it.  There  may,  however,  come  a time  when  Castor  Oil 
shall  be  manufactured  tliere,  not  only  for  home  consumption, 
but  for  export  from  the  Islands — a rival  even  to  “the  cold- 
drawn  East  India  oil.” 

Mustard  (sinapis)  grows  wild  over  considei'able  tracts. 
I am  not  aware  that  it  is  at  all  used,  even  as  a condiment, 
though,  no  doubt,  possessing  rerpiisite  strength.  Mustard  is 
even  imported  for  the  tables  of  foreign  residents. 

The  Pomegranate  (punica  granatum)  has  been  brought  to 
maturity  on  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  is,  no  doubt,  still 
cultivated  by  those  of  horticultural  tastes.  The  rinds  of  the 
fruit  (malecorium),  and  the  flowers  (balaustines),  may  yet 
be  valued  among  the  rural  inhabitants  for  their  astringent 
and  tonic  properties  ; though,  if  it  be  true,  as  before  stated, 
that  verminous  affections  are  rai*e,  the  famed  properties  of 
the  bark  of  the  root  may  not  be  called  into  rec{uisitiou. 

The  Stramonium  (datura  stramonium),  introduced  many 
years  since,  now  propagates  itself,  and  was,  about  Honolulu, 
the  nuisance  of  my  boyish  days.  This  powerful  narcotic,  so 
identical  in  its  effects  with  belladonna,  though  by  no  means 
to  be  employed  as  a popular  remedy,  may  yet  be  made 
valuable  to  the  Island  practitioner. 

Several  members  of  the  genus  Citrus — The  Orange  (c. 
aui’antium).  The  Citron  (c.  medica),  T//e  (c.  limonium). 

The  Lime  (c.  acris) — which  are,  I believe,  all  introduced, 
form  an  important  group.  The  orange  was  first  planted  on 
the  Islands  by  Capt.  Vancouver,  in  1792.  As  a fruit,  they 
have  already  became  quite  an  article  of  export.  In  1849, 
10,000  were  exported,  and  in  1850,  1-39,500.  I know  not 


45 


why  the  Sandwich  Islands  may  not  produce  the  much  sought 
orange  flower  water  (aurantii  floris  aqua),  used  both  in  the 
toilet  chamber  and  the  apothecary’s  shop  ; and  if  the  flowers 
of  the  Seville  or  bitter  orange  (citrus  vulgaris)  be  preferable, 
it  can,  no  doubt,  be  added  to  the  Island  Flora.  The  oil,  or 
neroli  (aurantii  oleum)  will,  no  doubt,  possess  as  fine  ascent 
as  that  of  France  or  Italy.  Three  hundred  and  four  gallons 
of  lime  juice  (limonus  succus)  were  exported  in  the  year 
ending  June  30th,  1851. 

Cotton  (gossypium).  This  article,  so  useful  in  burns, 
grows  well,  and  is  of  good  quality.  It  has  not  become  an 
article  of  export. 

Wheat  (triticum). 

Oats  (avena  sativum).  These  two  grains,  officinal  in  the 
Pharmacopoeia,  and  of  such  noted  importance  in  other  depart- 
ments of  civilized  life,  are  every  year  becoming  more 
important  articles  of  culture  for  home  consumption. 

Coriander  (coriandrum  sativum).  Fennel  (feniculum  vul- 
gare).  Anise  (pimpinella  anisum).  Horseradish  (cochlearia 
amoracia).  Cayenne  Pepper  (capsicum).  Blade  Pepper  (piper 
nigrum).  Rhuharh  (rheum).  Lettuce  (lactuca  sativa).  Sage 
(salvia).  Carrots  (daucus  carota).  The  Broom  (cystisus 
scoparius).  Ginger  (zingiber).  IIopis  (humulus  lupulus). 
Roses  (rosa  galica).  Poppy  (papaver  somnifera). 

Aloes  (aloe).  I think  I am  correct  in  mentioning  this, 
though  as  yet  it  is  only  cultivated  for  ornament. 

The  Tamarind  (tamarindus  Indica)  has  long  been  intro- 
duced, and  is  a veiy  valual>le  tree  for  the  tropic  zone. 

Tobacco  (nicotiana  tabaccum)  has  been  long  cultivated  on 
the  Islands,  and  promises  to  become  a very  important  export. 

Figs  (ficus  carica)  are  being  more  and  more  cultivated, 
and  may  become  an  important  export. 

IVie  Grape  (vitus  virifera)  grows  well  in  some  localities, 
and  it  is  now  a subject  of  active  discussion  and  experiment, 
whether  it  may  not  be  extensively  cultivated.  Should  the 
anticipations  of  some  be  realized,  the  Hawaiian  Islands  are 
to  become  as  noted  for  their  wines  as  Portugal  or  Madeira. 


46 


Thus,  to  repeat  Edmund  Burke’s  witticism,  the  Sandwich 
Islands  producers  are  aspiring  to  the  rights  of  kings,  viz. : to 
the  de  While  the  Grapes  are  cultivated  for 

luxurious  contributions  to  the  table,  and  while  the  Raisins 
are  dried  for  the  home  and  foreign  markets  of  future  days,  as 
medical  men,  we  may  “ hope  against  hope,”  that  Hawaiian 
Wines,  wuth  all  their  variety  and  excellence,  shall  be  manu- 
factured for  the  Materia  Medica  rather  than  for  the  Materia 
Alimentaria. 


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